UNDERWATER
How to get started in underwater photography, by Ross McLaren
10 things you can shoot, edit or create this month, from capturing waterfalls to rutting deer and ball games
I would love to say that photography has been a passion of mine from an early age, but it’s actually something I’ve fallen into by mistake. It’s a case of one expensive pastime leading to another expensive pastime, neither of which I had ever planned to take quite so seriously.
Seven years ago, I started diving on the west coast of Scotland in preparation for visiting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef the following summer. My wife and I decided to do our diving qualifications before we left, so we didn’t have to spend our holiday time in a classroom.
Sadly, the trip down under didn’t happen, but it opened up a whole other side of Scotland for us. From the first time I put my head beneath the water of Loch Long, I was absolutely blown away by the abundance of life down there. I had no idea there was such a cacophony of colours lying just beneath our grey, dreich waterline.
Scotland’s natural beauty is well known, but beneath our waters is a world that remains unseen by so many. After that first dive, I decided to start making videos to show friends and family – whether they were interested in seeing it or not! Little did I know that having fallen in love with one new pursuit, another would soon follow.
RossRoss’s five tips for better underwater photography
1 Learn camera skills on land
Having upgraded to an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and a 30mm macro lens, I realised I’d invested a lot in kit, but nothing in my own ability, so I started a class at night school. Photographing a model in a studio might not seem the same as shooting a crab in a cold Scottish loch, but it’s still about finding the right settings and lighting for the subject. I took my underwater housing to the class and used the camera inside it for our shoots so I could get comfortable with changing settings in the bulky housing. It made such a difference when I started doing it underwater.
2 Choose the right lighting
Lighting plays a vital role – especially when working in murky waters where visibility can be just one or two metres. Starting out, I’d keep things as simple as possible. Source a video light of around 3000 lumens; yo
