Demystifying Underwater Photography and Videography: How to Get Epic Shots With Any Set Up

Underwater photography has long been thought of as a massively complicated endeavor, with underwater camera rigs the size of a small television and with price tags of a down payment on a house. But taking great photos underwater doesn't have to be particularly complicated, involved, or expensive. In fact, you can take amazing photos with just a GoPro or simple underwater point-and-shoot camera. The key? Some is the same as on land: composition and focal points matter. But the main difference with underwater photography is making the best of challenging light conditions, as well as moving subjects (and photographers!). This session will run through the basic set ups you can use to take great photos and videos underwater. You'll learn how light changes underwater and what you can do about that -- but just as importantly, you'll also learn what you can't do, and how to get around the challenges that presents. You'll leave the session feeling more confident about your ability to take underwater photos even in challenging conditions. Plus, you'll unlock a whole sector of travel clients you are now able to serve with your underwater photography and videography skills -- which when combined with your social media audience can be a huge unique selling point as a travel content creator! Key takeaways:

• What is different about underwater photography vs. land-based photography
• Color is impacted greatly by your depth: red colors disappear at 15 ft, orange at 25 ft, yellow at 35 ft, and green at 70 ft.
• How light and color interact differently underwater and what you can do about that (video lights, strobe, red filters as work-arounds for preserving color)
• The limitations of artificial light underwater (video lights, strobe, etc. can only go so far in terms of distance -- here is where post-processing and color grading come in!)
• The main types of underwater photography (macro vs. wide-angle) and what set-ups are best for which type of UW photography you want to mostly work in
• The different set ups, from the most spartan (GoPro + red filters or light) to the more involved (mid-range underwater cameras with trays, flex arms, video lights, and strobes)
• The one thing that is most important, more than any camera? Your light source -- even a simple $40 flashlight can be the difference between a washed-out turquoise photo and an amazingly clear photo.
• Key principles of good underwater photography and examples of what makes them extraordinary: focus on details, patterns, behavior, storytelling.
• Other key things to keep in mind when doing underwater photography (maintaining neutral buoyancy, not harming marine life for your photos, underwater safety)