Recent Underwater Articles

Review of the Ikelite Underwater Housing

Underwater photography is becoming more popular as technology progresses. The use of an underwater housing dates back to the mid-1800s when William Thompson was utilizing a watertight box over his camera to photograph seaweed near Weymouth, England. Since then, underwater photographs have become an incredible way to explore and understand the life under the surface.

The Art of Photography as Therapy for Your Clients

Photography is not only a creative outlet for the photographer, but it also can provide healing to your clients. Most boudoir sessions are sought after in order to gain confidence, many family sessions are there to capture generations for preservation, and even underwater sessions can provide a healing to clients who are in need of the surreal emotions that come with being submerged.

Meet The Octographer: The World's First Octopus Photographer

As if you didn't already have enough competition as a photographer it now seems the animal kingdom is trying to get a piece of our pie. In New Zealand there is an Octopus named Rambo, trained and equipped by Sony, to do your job. World, meet the first Octographer.

BBC’s 'Blue Planet' Is Back and It’s Better Than Ever

The first episode of "Blue Planet II" was aired in the U.K. this week to critical acclaim, showcasing some of the most remarkable camerawork ever seen on the seas, and even giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the huge efforts undergone in capturing this international TV event.

Fine Art Short Records Beautiful Black and White Subjects in Color

Freelance videomaker and visual artist Julianna Thomas did something unique recently: she shot an entire series of black and white subjects, but in color. As a response to one of her greatest pet peeves, Thomas created "Black & White In Color" as a "personal response to treating black and white as an editing afterthought."

The Beautiful Results of an Underwater Photographer and MIT Physicist Working Together

Keith Ellenbogen is an underwater photographer whose work centers on marine conservation, while Allan Adams is a theoretical physicist whose work revolves around fluid dynamics inside black holes. When they met at a party in 2013, they realized they could combine their talents to produce gorgeous video of some of nature's most interesting marine life.

Hands-On Comparison: How to Choose Between Aquatech's Elite and Base Underwater Sport Housings

Underwater housings are infamous for being just about as expensive as the body they’re meant to house. They do an important job — that is, they keep your camera from complete ruin in the water, and they do it reliably (what other way is there when it comes to oceanic saltwater?). Nevertheless, those wanting an option that stings the wallet a bit less will be happy to hear about the Aquatech Base Underwater Sport housing. What better place to test this new, low-cost alternative than in Hawaii?

Surfing Video Goes Super Slow Motion

Lately there has been a trend of showing super slow motion videos slowed beyond the native frames per second the original footage was shot on. We love the results of Twixter but nothing can compare to seeing the real thing especially when combined with an extreme sport. The BBC has a great DVD on the South Pacific which features some amazing underwater slomo camera work of waves crashin, and this short surfing clip was the highlight for me. Rudi Diesel shot this on a Typhoon HD4 which at the time could do 500fps at 7 seconds or 1000fps at 3.5 seconds. If you enjoy this segment, check out a longer clip from the documentary in the second clip below.
What to Consider When Purchasing an Underwater Housing

Trying to choose the right underwater housing can be overwhelming. Depending on the camera body you have, an underwater housing can easily be double what the camera cost. How can you be sure it’s the right fit before you splurge on this expensive piece of gear?

[BTS Video] Victorinox Fragrances's 360 Degree Underwater Ad Campaign

Now this is clever. Victorinox makes a few fragrances and wanted to create an interactive video that shows just how fresh their perfume makes you feel. So they sent a crew up to Cauma Lake in Flims/Laax, Switzerland to film a 360 degree video UNDERWATER! To capture 360 video footage they used the new Yellowbird camera which works a lot like the Google streetview car. After watching the behind the scenes video, click the full post to see the final interactive campaign and you yourself can smell like a clean lake from Switzerland.
Testing the Capabilities of the Stella Pro 5000 Underwater

Finding the right underwater lighting system can be tricky if you do not understand how light is absorbed. The same concepts on land can be applied, but with a few extra steps. Testing out new lights can be eye opening if you are tired of using a four-strobe setup which can be a workout on its own.

A Quick Look at Surf Photographer Ben Thouard's New Book: 'Surface'

Sometimes, it can feel really daunting to try to create original images like no one has ever seen before. With social media oversaturated with photography, it often seems like we have captured it all. So, when I came across surf photographer Ben Thouard’s tropical landscape images captured through the back of a breaking wave, I was a little jealous, but more so inspired and hopeful.

Behind the Image: Prepare for the Unexpected

In my last "Behind the Image" article I talked about looking where other photographers aren't. This week I'd like to talk about the importance of being ready for just about anything — particularly when it comes to wildlife photography, as well as how images can impact our behaviors.

StillMotion Shoots Video At An Aquarium With The Red Epic

As we have said many times before, we are huge fans of the crew at StillMotion for their wedding work. In this video, the team steps outside of their standard job to shoot for Shedd Aquarium. They decided to film most of the project on the new Red Epic so that they could shoot at variable frame rates up to 300fps. In the video below, they take us behind the scenes of the creation of this project. Check out the full post to see the reel from the shoot.
Conservation Photographer Paul Nicklen Spreads a Little Love for the Manatees

Everyone's favorite aquatic marshmallow, the manatee, is having a bit of a moment. Just a couple weeks ago, Florida's warm waterways set the mood for a sizable manatee orgy, causing traffic jams on nearby roads. Rubberneckers first thought they were witnessing a whale in distress, but it was just good old fashioned sea cow polyamory.

What to Expect When Photographing Sea Lions Underwater

If there is one creature I could spend the rest of my days photographing it is the California sea lion. These acrobatic pinnipeds commonly known as the “puppies of the sea” never disappoint and are by far the most playful of all marine life I have encountered.

How A $300 Camera Could Change The Movie Industry

What if you could shoot 1080p video for just $300 with a camera that was waterproof, basically indestructible, and so small and light it could be mounted anywhere? What if that camera could also shoot 60fps for amazing slow motion? This camera is the GoPro HD and we own 2 of them. Watch this video and then check out the previous post. I'm not saying that the GoPro is better than a pro film camera, but it does bring up an interesting debate. Which style of video do you like more and why?

GoPro HD HERO camera: The Ski Move from GoPro on Vimeo.

Clark Little Lets Waves Crash Onto His Camera

UPDATE: Rich Tully works directly with Clark Little and just sent us this much better video. Click the full post for the original video posted: One thing I love about running a website like Fstoppers is that I am introduced to all sorts of photography I would never have come across on my own. Such is the case with professional wave photographer Clark Little (you must check out his website). I owe a thanks to my dad who first told me about Clark's work and now we have a video that shows what it is like to be directly in contact with a huge wave crashing over you. If Clark comes across this post, we'd love to see a formal behind the scenes made with interviews and some information about how your approach to 'wave photography' has evolved. Perhaps Fstoppers needs to head out to Hawaii this spring!
Sick Trailer for the New GoPro HD Hero2

So I am going through some of the slow-mo HD camera options that are on the market right now for an adventure I will be taking soon, and I stumbled upon the new GoPro HD Hero2. On their site they have one of the illest trailers I have ever seen for a camera, and I had to watch it several times. This isn't an ad for the camera and I am not saying that this is the one I will buy, but man what else compares? With that said, watch this trailer, it really is rad to see what kind of punch that tiny package can deliver! (that's what she said)
Can Your Hard Drive Survive a Swim in the Ocean? This G-Drive ev ATC Did

I baby my external hard drives. I always wrap them in bubble wrap when taking them from home to the coffee shop, and I even have a little mini-pelican case for longer trips. I couldn't imagine how bad it would be if it happened to get even a quick salt water splash, let alone get stuck in the sand. In this video, watch what happens when this G-Tech hard drive is thrown right into the surf of the ocean.

Improve Creativity and Test Yourself by Shooting in Water

Have you ever thought that you need to shoot more for yourself but have no idea where to start? Photographer Pierre T. Lambert will save you time on this and offers a fun exercise that every photographer should try at least once in their lifetime: shoot underwater!

Paul Nicklen's New Book, 'Photographing Wild': Learn From a National Geographic Photographer

Photographer Paul Nicklen recently released a two-hundred page ebook titled "Photographing Wild: Techniques of a National Geographic Photographer." Mr. Nicklen has been taking photographs for the magazine for over twenty years now in some of the most remote places on earth. He is also one of my personal favorite photographers out there today, so buying it for myself was an easy decision to make. His underwater images are always fantastic, and just seeing all of his wildlife photos come across my social media feeds is always inspiring to me.

BTS With Underwater Fashion Photographer Mallory Morrison

The team over at [Framed] has created another great BTSV, this time with underwater fashion photographer Mallory Morrison. Mallory, a dancer for 23 years, uses her history in the field to help direct her models under the water. I've attempted underwater photography like this before, and it is so much harder than it looks. Check out the video below to see a master at work.
Composing Underwater Images

I recently co-hosted a Webinar on underwater and wildlife photography with my fellow Fstopper’s writer, Mike O’Leary. During that half hour general discussion a participant asked for advice on composing an image underwater. While composition underwater can be a little tricky at first, I’ve put together a short list of things to keep in the back of your mind when you are first getting started.

The Carbonated Ocean: The Power of Photography to Raise Awareness

Circulating daily on social media we see turtles caught in plastic, beaches bathed in piles of garbage, or decaying wildlife that make hearts heavy because we can easily relate to those species. However, there is another ocean issue that does not get enough coverage but it is dissolving many of the unseen organisms every day.

Quick Tips to Get the Shot in Any Condition

Photographing underwater possess its own challenges even in clear visibility. Coming into a body of water you are unaware of the conditions can make or break you, only if you allow it to.