Underwater photography: the basics

In short: Underwater photography poses its own challenges from changed lighting conditions, color loss, and the need to protect equipment. With waterproof housings or special cameras, however, impressive shots of marine life and reefs are possible.

In more detail: Water absorbs light selectively, causing red and orange tones to nearly disappear within just a few meters of depth and making images appear bluish.

In detail

• Compensating for color loss: Red filters or additional flash lighting help restore the natural colors that the water filters out.
• Housings and waterproof cameras: Special underwater housings protect regular cameras, while some action cameras are waterproof on their own.
• Close-ups (macro): Many underwater subjects, like small fish or coral structures, are particularly well suited to macro photography (makrofotografie-grundlagen).
• Water turbidity: Suspended particles scatter light and reduce contrast, so it’s best to shoot as close to the subject as possible.
• White balance: Manually adjusting white balance underwater significantly improves color accuracy compared to the automatic setting (weissabgleich-und-farbtemperatur).
• Subject movement: Fish and other animals often move quickly and unpredictably, which requires short shutter speeds.
• Safety first: Diving experience and safely handling the equipment always take priority over getting the perfect photo.