SAA Policies & Guides
Photography: Shooting them small part 2 .
In my last article I discussed the accessories available for close-up photography when using an amphibious camera and offered some guidance on site and subject selection. I will now discuss close-up work using housed land cameras and the general principles of close-up photocomposition.
This Lion Fish was taken early
one morning in Eilat using
a
105mm
macro lens with
an
aperture of f8 and
slow
shutter speed to
capture the
blue of the water.
By far the most popular range of cameras used in underwater housing are the Nikon autofocus SLR; and macro lenses from 60mm to 200mm are available for close-up work. These will all focus down to life size, so that the subject is the same size as that on the film (24x36mm). I would recommend the 60mm and 105mm macro lenses. They differ in their minimum focal distance. (The larger the mm number of the lens the further you can be away from your subject to photograph it at the same reproduction size). The 60mm lens focuses down to about 10 cm from the front of the lens port to produce a life size image, which is very useful in poor vis. The 105mm lens focuses down to around 25 cm, which is more useful in clearer water, or when photographing timid creatures, as you do not need to get so close to fill the frame.
As you have the ability to see what the camera sees, with a housed SLR camera, you won’t need a framing device. The lens will focus from life size to infinity so you can be versatile with both subject selection and its size within your picture. One shot could be of a small nudibranch, the next of an edible crab.
There are, however, some disadvantages. Every time you alter the focal distance between the camera and subject you will have to check the aperture setting to ensure it is set for the correct flash to subject distance. Even with through the lens (TTL) flash control you can get an incorrect exposure. If you are in doubt it is wise to "bracket" by taking several photographs of the same object, but altering the f-stop.
Another problem with changing focal distance is that you must re-aim your flashgun. If you have set up your lighting for a subject a metre away and then focus onto another subject 20cm away, your flashgun will miss! A built-in modelling light is very useful here, or you could strap a small torch to the side of your flashgun. When the modelling light illuminates the subject you will not only know the flashgun is pointing in the right direction but also how the subject will be lit.
Personally, I feel the small disadvantages of having to check the aperture and position of your flash are greatly outweighed by the advantages of being able to see what you are photographing and controlling the image size which helps enormously with close up composition.
Composing your shot.
The mantle of this clam creates an
implied diagonal line. These shells are
light sensitive, closing when approached.
A housed camera with a
60mm macro lens was used here.
It is often said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, but this can only be true if it has something to say! A picture must have a subject or theme and without either it becomes a jumbled image. In close-up photography once you have chosen your main subject do not allow other elements in the picture to compete with it; isolate your main subject. Do not let the background (negative space) overpower your subject; it should compliment the scene. One of the most effective ways of achieving this is to use the water column as the background; try getting below your subject and shooting up in to open water. Done at night, or with a small aperture, you will have a black background; in daytime with a larger aperture it is possible to capture the sea’s green or blue colour.
Other ways of making your subject stand out are by using different patterns. If the background in your picture has a distinctive pattern (such as the tentacles of an anemone) then the main subject (say a clown fish) would be made to standout. Or you could choose a complimentary colour such as a red sponge as a background for a blue nudibranch.
The position you place your subject in the picture is critical and could make or ruin it. Main subjects off centre will appear more pleasing to the eye (the classic position being one third in from both the horizontal and vertical edge, on one of four focal points). By placing your main and any secondary subjects on these focal points you are following the golden "rule of thirds".
Often subjects can be arranged so that they form lines (they can be either real or implied) that run through the picture. Diagonals running through two focal points form the strongest lines. Verticals and horizontals also work well as long as they do not cut the picture equally in haft. Try to keep them running through the focal points for most impact.
As always you will find many exceptions to the rule of thirds such as circles and ovals which look much better placed in the centre.
Picture impact is often dependant on colour. Those pictures with loud colours such as red and yellow will grab the viewer's attention and make them stand out, so look for them.
These are just some ideas to start you considering close-up picture composition. I would also suggest taking what appeals to you from other pictures, then recreating it in your own individual way. And do not become too slavish to the rules of composition.
| First clicks | Shooting small 01 | Shooting small 02 | Getting the Big Picture |
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| Building Pictures | Lighting the underwater world | Colouring the Ocean | Balanced Light photography |
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