We've all seen incredible photos of schooling fish that make us feel like we're right there, swimming with the school. Getting great photos of a school of fish isn't difficult, but it does take some time and preparation. Here are some helpful tips to get you on your way.
Finding Schooling Fish to Photograph
Before you can get the photos you want, you'll need to find out where to go. You might already have a destination in mind, or you might simply know what kind of photos you want to take. Schooling fish usually hang around specific areas, and they usually behave in a certain way. For instance, some schools patrol wrecks in specific patterns, and others look almost like a swirling, living tornado. Other fish schools jam themselves tightly together. In some areas, fish schools are regularly hunted by predators. Almost universally, schooling fish prefer shallow water and swim near the surface. Think about all the times you've been on safety stops and schools of fish have swum by!
Planning Your Dive
Once you determine where you'll be going and what kind of fish you will be photographing, visualize the kind of shots you hope to get, and make plans with your buddy in advance. In some cases, you might want a diver in your shot; in other cases, your buddy might be able to help drive fish toward you so that you can get the photos you want. Be sure to decide how your buddy or another diver will get into the shot without frightening the fish, and discuss which hand signals you'll use to communicate with one another.
Photo Specifics
Select your lens with care. For example, if you're interested in focusing on a few large or colorful fish within a school, choose a 12-24mm or 17-70mm lens for a tightly framed shot. If you want to capture an entire school, a 10mm fisheye lens is probably the best choice, particularly if the fish are small, silvery, and much more interesting as a group than on their own.
Timing is very important. The best underwater photographers spend plenty of time with the schools of fish they photograph, waiting for the shot they've visualized. Control your breathing carefully since most fish are usually frightened by the sound of bubbles.
Composition is also very important. A school of fish with a sunburst in the background always makes an excellent photo; to capture a sunburst behind fish, you'll need to be under the school, on your back. If you want to get a diver in the photo, you'll need to keep some distance and be patient. Be careful not to cut any part of the diver out of the picture; missing legs or fins can ruin the effect you're going for.
As for exposure, silvery fish will reflect light so you'll need low strobe power. Colorful schools of fish call for strobes on full power. Work with your aperture, too; you'll need to use an aperture that is small enough to provide the depth of field you need, but large enough that your strobes are giving the background enough ambient light and shedding enough light on the school. Also, adjust your shutter speed according to the speed of the fish; slow moving species call for slower shutter speed, and vice versa.
In photography, nothing is guaranteed, and that's perhaps one reason why it is so much fun to try to capture the perfect shot. Spending plenty of time practicing, taking lots of photos, and keeping a close eye on your histogram can make all the difference. Dive often, and carry your camera with you. You never know when that perfect school of fish might arrive.