Underwater portraiture is an exquisite medium with many components to think about that may’t be addressed inside a single submit. So, we’ll begin off right here by specializing in one facet: directing the sunshine. Identical to above water, the path and high quality of the sunshine dramatically change the look of the portrait.
Underwater strobes and lights get costly and require particular digicam housings to really be efficient. I’ve seen ingenious methods to get strobes fired from above the pool to be mirrored down into the pool. These generally is a novel, however troublesome resolution with out tools specifically designed for it. Nonetheless, an easier resolution is to make use of the facility of the solar to our benefit in lighting our underwater portraits.
As photographers, we regularly crave the Golden Hours of dawn and sundown, for good motive. The sunshine is delicate, and the low lengthy shadows and softer heat gentle can be utilized to nice impact. This occurs to translate into the underwater setting as effectively. It’s the best time of day to work because it supplies essentially the most management over the lighting.
For underwater pictures, we are able to use this to our benefit in a approach that’s distinctive. This is because of how the sunshine bounces when it hits the water’s floor. I need to management the sunshine for a portrait even when taking pictures underwater. I don’t like having the solar hitting the floor of the water immediately, inflicting refractive patterns that scatter the sunshine. This occurs when the solar is shining immediately on the floor of the water and is disturbed by waves, splashes, and even slowly shifting round within the pool.
The sunshine can hit the pores and skin in unflattering methods which can be troublesome to manage, even when the result’s as lovely because the picture on the best reveals. So, for the left picture of the bride we waited till the solar was low sufficient on the horizon that the pool was totally within the shade. I wished that delicate gentle. I actually can get a implausible picture with simply the delicate gentle from the shaded pool. It creates a dreamy look, virtually ethereal.
So as to add dimension, and depth that comes from a extra directed gentle, I would want so as to add gentle to the underwater setting. On this case, it comes from an enormous reflector (4 ft by 8 ft). My assistants and I are directing the solar on her making a highlight of bounced gentle. Usually, if we’re going by a pictures catalog, a reflector that dimension could be prohibitively costly.
Discount priced tools
Nonetheless, dwelling enchancment shops typically have “pictures” tools for a bargain-basement worth. A bit of froth insulation paneling with a silver reflective floor in a wide range of thicknesses is lower than $15. It’s massive, it’s cumbersome, however it’s gentle and disposable (or might be saved in your subsequent venture). You possibly can’t do that alone. It isn’t a solo endeavor, however with two assistants on the aspect of the pool, holding the reflector we’ve got a movable highlight to direct on the topic, controlling the sunshine.
Assistants
These assistants are actually “voice-activated gentle stands” and must transfer and shift the reflector relying on the place I would like the sunshine to fall. Nonetheless, it’s definitely worth the effort as a result of the silver panel creates an exquisite heat and glow that’s arduous to match.
Thanks, Carrie Mundy and Brett Lind for your entire underwater help, encouragement, and recommendation. Underwater pictures actually is a crew effort.
So, my recommendation, if you wish to kick your underwater photos up a notch, use this golden hour to your benefit. As soon as the pool is in shade, however the solar has not utterly set, replicate the sunshine that’s out there throughout that golden hour. It’s a enjoyable and easy resolution that may take your underwater photos to the following degree.
