My goal this summer has been to really work on taking better underwater pictures. There is more than a little difference between taking photographs on land, and underwater. I have come up with some underwater picture tips, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you!
***Wanna know what I am using to take pictures of my family? You can see everything I keep in my camera bag here!***
7 underwater picture tips
*for your convenience, there may be affiliate links throughout this post, so you can easily find the things i am showing you. by using these links, your pricing stays the same, but i earn a small commission. you can see my full disclosure here
1. Get close to your subject.
Water has particles floating in it, and bubbles, and of course the water itself is just another thing between your camera and your subject. The closer you get the crisper and sharper your subject will be.
2. Invest in the right equipment.
I have not invested in a waterproof case for my DSLR, and I honestly don’t know if I ever will. My goal with underwater photographs is to capture my family having fun during our water adventures. I don’t want to be worrying about a big bulky camera.
That doesn’t mean everyone feels the same. If you want to take pictures of your kids at a reasonable price, you can do that with a GoPro Hero+ and some extra accessories.
I have collected them over the last couple of years as I discover what I need. These are the things that were first on my list- A handle mount (to reduce shake since it is such a tiny camera), a dome (for split shots), an underwater case (most GoPros come with one), and a decent sized memory card.
Invest in the things you know you will actually use! As I just said, I don’t think an underwater case for my DSLR would be for me. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be for you!
3. Learn how to edit your underwater pictures.
You can invest in filters to help with the color situation. When we went to Mexico last year with the kids, I took a lot of underwater pictures, and I was really bummed that many were sort of funny colors.
This year, I did a lot of research before we went to the beach, and decided that filters weren’t for me. I knew I wouldn’t want to be spending my time trying to figure out what color filter I needed. Also, I knew that there would be times that I went from underwater to land with the same camera, and I wouldn’t want to be dealing with switching out filters.
Learning how to properly edit underwater photos is key. You can do that relatively easily with Adobe Lightroom. (You can actually do a ton of things with Lightroom- and you don’t have to be a pro to figure it out!)
The bonus to this is, if you can’t get the color right, and it’s just driving you nutty, you can easily turn the image to black and white with Lightroom!
4. Use the burst mode
I love that I can push the button on my GoPro and quickly take 30 pictures. There’s so much movement underwater, and using the burst mode helps ensure I get a least one shot I adore!
5. Look for the light.
As usual, lighting goes a long way when taking pictures. This remains true when taking pictures underwater. Since this post is about tips for taking underwater pictures of kids, I would assume that most of the time you’re not going super deep. Just keep in mind that the deeper you are, the darker it is!
6. Invest in anti fog inserts, and rainx.
Rookie mistake number 5,690- I forgot to think about the beads of water that would remain on the outside of my case. I am still kicking myself because I really messed up so many shots. I seriously wanted to cry when I looked back and realized what I had done.
I can promise you , I won’t make that mistake again. I got lucky and found out about the anti fog inserts before we left this year because I had dealt with my camera fogging up going between temperatures.
The best part about having a tiny point and shoot camera like a GoPro Hero+ is that you can carry it anywhere and use it underwater or above water.
7. Play with your composition.
I have had my heart set on some split pics. You know, the ones with half water- half sky? Unfortunately, the more research I did, the more I realized I was in need of a dome to give my tiny camera a little pocket of air.
I put a lot of emphasis into the composition of my underwater pictures. In the end, sharpness can become sacrificed if you’re not shooting with a flash (I am not- again, I don’t want to be lugging a bunch of equipment around to photograph my family). Finding the composition that tells the story is very important to me.
Taking pictures of your kids or family underwater can produce some of the most genuine, and fun images you’ll ever take. Especially if your family is a bunch of fish like ours.
Do you take pictures underwater? Leave us your tips in the comments!!
xo, Lorrin
come hang out with me!!
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