Capturing The Maldivian Underwater
Maldives Promotion House – Home to a large number of coral reefs of massive diversity and unimaginable beauty, Maldives has become extremely popular among divers from all over the world. With its abundant marine life beneath the crystal clear water surface, Maldives hosts some of the best dive spots in the world, and because of the abundance of amazing white sand beaches, coral reefs, clear warm waters, multitude of scuba diving sites and rich marine life, Maldives has become the number one scuba diving destination in the world.
But sometimes merely seeing or even touching is not enough. You need to be able to capture those beautiful moments as you float amongst the magnificent beasts of the underwater world. And while those memories captured in time holds a certain amount of pride, it also gives you bragging rights. There’s nothing truly more exciting about diving than underwater photography, bringing your experiences back to the surface.
Underwater photography has also become easier and more affordable unlike the past were resources were scarce and talent was even less available. Technology today offers us to take stunning photographs of that beauty world hiding beneath the waves. You don’t even have to be an expert to do it. With just a few points in mind, anyone can do it. Here is what you should know.
- First of all, you need to perfect your buoyancy skills. Mastering the ability to float neutrally in the water is essential. Make sure you have the correct weight and the proper Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) in order to achieve control of your buoyancy with the camera system you have.
- You must also know the animals and the environment you are going to photograph. It helps to ask someone who has been in the spot before, to learn what sorts of critters you will find.
- You should remember to bring an external flash for your camera equipment to add back the light that you lose as you dive depth.
- If you are buying new gear, it also helps to try out the photography equipment in a pool prior to diving. Remember to take new camera housings underwater without the camera to ensure they are functioning properly.
- You must also be sure to keep the photography gear out of the heat of the sun and away from the heavy dive gear such as scuba tanks and weight belts.
- When shooting pictures underwater, follow two important rules. Get close to your subject and shoot at upward angles. This will allow you to fill the frame and get separation of your subject from the background.
- It also helps a lot to focus on a particular type of underwater photography at first. You can hone your skills on either close-up or scenic and perfect them before moving on to the next type of shot.
- When travelling with precious underwater photography gear, be sure to pack carefully to protect your gear. Be aware of current air travel restrictions and pack accordingly.
- Essential photo items like lanyards to secure your camera, o-ring grease, memory cards and batteries will be available at your local dive shop or Resort.
- Most importantly, always remember what you learned in your scuba diving classes. You are a diver first and then a photographer. Your safety and that of divers around you depends on keeping this in mind at all times.