Learning Underwater Photography

- Hi, this is Deke McClelland. - And I'm Hergen Spalink. - And we're here to introduce you to the exciting world of underwater photography, that is to say, the art of capturing images while swimming, snorkeling, or in our case, scuba diving. - I'm fortunate to live in one the best tropical dive destinations on the planet, Indonesia, which is home to such great locations as Bali, Komodo, and Raja Ampat. For the last 10 years, I've been shooting and leading underwater photo safaris. Taking underwater photos is pretty much what I do. - I first met Hergen in the famous Lembeh Strait, which is in North Sulawesi, in Indonesia, right on the Equator.

Hergen would teach us in the morning, and then we'd go dive with our stuff. And then we'd come back, and he'd teach us in the afternoon. Then we'd dive some more, and he'd teach us in the evening. It was intense. - I hope in a good way. - It was very good. In fact, I've been to a lot of photography seminars over the years, and I've never learned so much so quickly as I did from Hergen. This guy is one the best, most knowledgeable teachers that I've ever met, which is why it is my sincere pleasure to introduce Hergen to the members of Lynda.com. - [Hergen] We're going to start things off with a look at what it means to shoot underwater.

We're going to see examples of both wide angle and macro photography in some of its most diverse and breathtaking forms. - [Deke] We'll take a look at the specialized gear required to shoot underwater, including housings, lights, and ports. - [Hergen] We'll examine the elements of underwater exposure, including strobes, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. And we'll tour you through the anatomy of a shot. - [Deke] We'll take a figurative deep dive into the world of underwater optics, and we'll touch on such important topics as focal length, depth of field, and reproduction ratio.

- [Hergen] And we'll wrap things up with a look at the all-important jump settings, so that your camera system is ready to go before you jump in the water. - Whether you're an avid enthusiast like me or a seasoned professional like Hergen, underwater photography is an exhilarating, challenging, mind-expanding experience. It's like shooting on a different planet. - Here, let me show you exactly how it works.