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    vkalia

    Working the subject: focusing on the artistic aspect of underwater photography

    While I am mostly a wildlife/nature photographer, one of the most interesting books on photography that I have read in a very long time is "Magnum Contacts Sheets" - link below (and no, I don't get a commission if you buy it 🙂)

    https://www.amazon.com/Magnum-Contact-Sheets-Kristen-Lubben/dp/0500292914

     

    This book shows the contact sheets of the photos taken by various Magnum photographers in trying to get their shot.   It provides an absolutely fascinating insight into the mindset and creative process followed by some of the best photographers in the world.      One of the biggest take-aways for me was the degree to which these photographers "work" the subject, in terms of exhausting various angles, perspectives and compositions.

     

    RajaAmpat-Apr24-906.jpg

    It took a lot of waiting to get the fusiliers aligned just right

     

    While this may not be news to some of the old hands here at Wet/Waterpixels, this is something I have rarely seen divers do in the real world, especially those new to underwater photography.    Regardless of whether they are carrying a Go Pro, a TGx or a housed system, most photographers I see will swim up to a subject, spend a few seconds composing the image and adjusting their lights, take the shot and then swim off to the next subject.     While this may be good for getting clean documentary shots of the subject, the results are generally lacking a little in artistic value.

     

    Yes, I did say "artistic value".   As the art of underwater photography evolves, well-exposed, sharp photographs of various marine life (documentation) have become pretty much common-place.      So how does a photographer evolve his/her images to make them stand out?

     

    The next step up from simple documentation is showing behaviour/action - and while this requires the photographer to be alert and technically proficient, there isn't necessarily a lot of creative input here either:    the subject does the heavy lifting in terms of making the image.

     

    Fuva-Feb2022-22.jpg

    There wasn't much creative input into this image other than the choice of angles - replace the tiger shark with a less interesting fish and this photo would not be very interesting

     

    The highest level of photography (IMO) involves creating images where it is the design and composition that makes the image stand out - not merely "look, here is a cool subject".      In wildlife, for example, it is much harder to take a great image of an antelope than a lion - similarly, it is much harder to take a "wow" shot of a coral head or some reef fish underwater than a whale shark or manta.     You have to spend time thinking about what to include and exclude in the image, how to compose the frame, how to light it, etc. etc. 

     

    When it comes to artistic design, your first shot is unlikely to be your best shot - atleast not consistently or unless your name starts with "Henri" and ends with "Cartier-Bresson".     It takes time to work through the various compositional aspects in order to find the best image - ie, you need to work the subject.     If you do, you can be rewarded with images that go well beyond the obvious.

     

    I'd like to illustrate what I mean with an example of how I went about taking one of the shots I really like.   To set expectations, I have the natural creative talent of a brick and have to take a very methodical approach to taking images.   So this process may seem a little plodding to the creative geniuses out there.   For the rest of us, perhaps it may be helpful.

     

    This was a coral head I came across on a dive during a trip to Raja Ampat:

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-797.jpg

     

    I found the glass fish sheltering under the coral to be quite interesting and got into position, angled my strobes, set the exposure and fired off a shot, resulting in this:

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-799.jpg

     

    Ok, it's a shot showing the coral and the fish.  But there really isn't much else to redeem it.    It's lacking colour and pop, and there really is no unifying theme to the image other than "here's a bunch of stuff".    And most that stuff is adding nothing to the image (and would not, regardless of how great the corner sharpness was 😜).

     

    So I decided to get a little closer and see what I got.  It took around 10-15 shots from various angles before I found something that looked promising:

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-1137.jpg

     

    Ok, now the image has a little more pop and there are no extraneous elements.   But it still seems a little haphazard.      Hmm, maybe having the glass fish appear more synchronised would help?

     

    This led to a few more shots (well, 60+, actually) trying to get the pesky fish to be aligned the way I wanted.    Some of them:

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-1127.jpg

     

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-1124.jpg

     

    There were quite a few other variants of the above, with the fish facing one way or another.      All were pretty nice but from a design element, there was something lacking - these images were still not giving me a sense or scale of being on an amazing reef in Raja Ampat.    While nicer than the earlier images, these were still simple "look, here's some fish" images.

     

    So I decided to go a little wider to see if that would help capture the essence of the underwater world a little better.

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-1208.jpg

     

    Ok, now this felt better.   The blue water on the other side of the coral balanced the glassfish a little more, and gave a greater sense of the reef, and I was quite pleased with the image.    But then I started thinking about how all the visual elements were only on one side of the coral whereas the blue water was completely lacking in any point of interest.     Some more shooting and gesturing to my dive guide resulted in this:

     

    RajaAmpat-Dec19-1138.jpg

    Bonus points to the coral grouper for a serendipitous appearance

     

    This (to my eyes, at least) felt like the best photo of the bunch - a good 100+ exposures after the initial image.      I could have stopped after the first few images, I could have stopped after 20-30 images but by spending 30+ minutes in this one location, I found a photo that truly appealed to me.

     

    Is it perfect?    Of course not.   There is perspective distortion with the diver that could have been mitigated by having the diver move away from the edges.   I'd have also have liked him to be holding a torch.  That's a testimony to the fact that despite the time I spent, I could have always worked the subject more.  

     

    So what's the takeaway here?    Pretty simple:  too many divers spend their entire dive swimming around, taking a couple of photos here and a couple of photos there.   That's perfectly fine when you are starting out and is a good way to hone your technical skills and build a good foundation of documentary images and also action photos.

     

    But as your skills evolve, a good way to improve the quality of your images is by becoming more selective.  Try to get a few really great shots as opposed to a large number of average ones.   And in order to achieve this, shoot fewer subjects - but the subjects that you do shoot, shoot them really well.   By that, I don't mean just blindly fire away and hope for the best.  Instead, take a deliberate approach to positioning yourself, your perspective and exposure/lighting.   Think about different ways you can compose the image.   Then review the results, decide what could improve and repeat.

     

    Starting thinking like a photographer who happens to be on scuba - as opposed to a scuba diver who has a camera.

       

    Sure, this isn't always easy to do: unless you have your own private guide or are diving with a group of photographers, you rarely have the ability to spend as much time as you prefer on a subject.   But if your goal is take the best possible images, you will have to find a workaround to that.   Most dive centres are generally very receptive to (and slightly dread!) underwater photographers, and are willing to work with them in terms of guides, groups, etc.     Make that extra effort and you will find the quality of your images improves significantly.

     

    Footnote:  the series of images above is not a statement about how awesome the final image is.   I like it a lot (and I shoot to please myself), but I have photographer friends who aren't that impressed by it (which is perfectly fine).     The goal is to illustrate the approach to working a scene, and hopefully, this sequence illustrates it well.

     

    RajaAmpat-Apr24-768.jpg

    Sometimes, no matter how much you try, the animals don't cooperate.   I spent a lot of time working through various compositions till I found one that appealed to me - all it needed was an appropriate subject swimming through at the right location.   Despite waiting for almost 30 minutes, I didnt have any luck better than this.   

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    Very well said.  For most of our dives I wish for even 5 minutes to work a subject!  Unfortunately my dive buddy is not so patient. But then she gets cold and heads up to the boat, so the final 15 minutes or so I’m on my own in shallow water, which often leads to images I like.  

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    5 hours ago, Troporobo said:

    Very well said.  For most of our dives I wish for even 5 minutes to work a subject!  Unfortunately my dive buddy is not so patient. But then she gets cold and heads up to the boat, so the final 15 minutes or so I’m on my own in shallow water, which often leads to images I like.  

     

    Yeah, it’s a challenge for sure.     Most of the time, even with my wife hanging around and modeling for me, i dont get as much time on a subject as i would prefer.      Occasionally, if the subject does warrant it, i will find a way to make the time - either go back to the dive site and/or tell the dive guide that i am going to be planted just here and will see them later.     

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    Yeah, I do pretty much the same: let the DM know we’re staying put. 
     

    Model boredom and irritation is always an on-going issue. Luckily my partner is not into jewellery but she does indicate repeats/go-rounds in terms of the number of expected cappuccinos. This is another non-PADI signal she has developed. 

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    Thank you for taking the time to write this.  Really resonates well with me, and welcome the insight into your thought process.  As others have said, oh for the time to spend with a subject - it really does matter who you dive with, and how willing the group is to respect each other's needs.  I find it very trying when I've found my subject, and then others decide that they'd like a go... I need a signal for "Find your own" - I don't think the middle finger gesture is totally conducive for sharing a beer later....! 

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    Congratulations on the article!

    After all the endless technical discussions, it was much needed. It's like a breath of fresh air. Well done!

    I wish there was more discussion of the 'artistic' aspects of composing an image. Static or moving Images.

    Once the radius and entrance pupil are perfect and we have made peace with the edges, does it all end or is there still room for composition, camera angle and patience for the perfect moment?

     

    It is common to accompany published shots with technical data: aperture, shutter speed, etc., but almost nothing is known about the photographer's choices, which are the most important and define 'the photo'.

    It almost seems as if it is an unmentionable secret and that it is rude to ask the photographer "how did you do it?". A disrespect to him. "I took it because I am good at it" seems to be the implied and annoyed reply.

    Yet, between the immeasurable talent and the skill of the craftsman, in my opinion there are immensely large spaces that could be discussed here. Which is then what is taught in photography courses once the fundamentals are established: The language of photography.

     

     

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    We do need more creative/compositions articles. I’m going to work on a piece about using Neutral Space. My favourite compositional approach. 

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    Thanks for a great article and raising this topic.

     

    Also, Tim please do your article on neutral spaces. I took the attached photo this week which I personally really like because it did involve a some effort to try try to create a certain feeling and memory of the moment.

    untitled-6900-2.jpg

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    @vkalia Thanks for the nice piece!  One of the more interesting things about shooting film v digital is that its easier to follow the progression of changes a photographer makes in creating what one hopes is the final image. You could actually see what the photographer was thinking - and of missed opportunities - or dumb luck. One of the things mentors would say is the a good photograph is "made" rather than taken.

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    Thank you all for the overwhelming response.     I wasn’t exaggerating when i said that i dont have much in the way of natural creative talent and it is all learned.     The biggest watershed moment for me was indeed understanding the difference between “making” an image vs taking one, as @humu9679 said.   “Making” implies you can work at it, instead of just seeing something magical.     

     

    And yes, digital certainly has helped there.   For all that people used to make fun of chimping, it was a great way to review shots, get instant feedback and improve.      Atleast for me.    And not having to worry about being limited to 24 photos a dive certainly is a big plus!   🙂

     

    One thing that has helped me a lot if actually getting into street photography - it’s shaken me a little out of my usual way of looking at a scene by forcing me to look for details and find something interesting in the mundane.   I am not particularly good at it, but find the process refreshing.

     

    Would love to hear from others about how they approach their picture taking as well - including your article on neutral space, @TimG.      

     

     

    Cheers!

    Edited by vkalia
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    PS - in the interest of sharing our images and creative vision, perhaps we can have regular theme-based topics and people can share their photos related to that theme?

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    @vkalia I'm also a believer that "talent" is nurtured by one's interest, determination and circumstance. In the United States one hears of children who grow up believing "I'm not good at math," for instance. My suggestion is study and practice, and the same could be said of still photography, which I've studied for decades - and still learning - and videography, of which I am an absolute novice.

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    Ha, funnily enough, i am also just starting to try out videography.    Just with a GoPro and video lights mounted on top of my housing, but it’s been an interesting - and fun - experience.

     

    One thing i have noticed is that i find it very hard to do both.    When i try to get both photos and videos on the same dive,  I end up with mediocre shots on both sides (well, for the latter, it is graded on a curve:   my videography isnt any great shakes anyway, so it would be mediocre regardless).

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    @vkalia I used to think it was blasphemous to shoot video and grab a still frame, but I might just go there because, you're right, it's really hard to shoot both stills and video on the same dive.

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    Thanks for your article, Vandit. Nice to read some photo writing that doesn't focus on fisheye angle definition nor on a rare camouflaged nudibranch (guilty of both).

    I'm parisian, originally a BW street/travel film photographer on a Leica M6 (darkroom addict as well) every bit to become a long time ago an afficionado of HCB, as a photo theorist, an image maker and a free person as well. So you got my attention there.

     

    I completely agree with you on the "artistic" effort you must first engage into photography. (However as a complete fan I don't like to use "artistic" for photo since dear Henri abandoned photo in his late days assessing he denied any form of "real art" lying into photo but rather looking into painting or drawing. A Photo just needs an eye and a finger, he explained. Eventually he didn't use any camera but spent his days drawing for the last 20 years.) 

    It may not be a different take from yours though, I think the utmost effort should be applied on thinking and trying to visualize the context possibilities, the evolution of the scene and the expected result of your image before starting the shooting : visualizing sounds more Anseladamsish here but that's also what HCB recommended, being a Zen archer, ie anticipating and waiting for your scene to compose BEFORE shooting.

    The geometry inside your framing is paramount, this can be depend on either on a fixed (background, sides) or an evolving  fish movement) context. Hence you should exercise your eyes into recognizing the immediate geometrics patterns or when it become something interesting.

     

    Oppositely, I am not an advocate of shooting hundreds of images of the same scene until you get it right, I'd rather stop and think, take some time to remember some photos or paintings that have very little to see with the scene I am shooting and try to get some inspiration. I remember for exemple taking an image of a turtle surrounded by snorkelers that I tried to get in position to remind a painting of Matisse. (Though only me finds the reference when I show this pic to others... skill gap with the original I guess... hahaha...) 

    FWIW at my very humble level, I often realize that composition wise (ie . apart from lighting adjustment) my first frame in a series of 5-6 photos is the first take. I hardly take more than 7-8 shots on a single scene, I feel like I have no idea left.  

    Personally I think the most efficient way would be to inspire yourself and your photo outside diving, browsing through photobooks of legendary land photographers (in that respect, Magnum is an excellent agency) or vistiing photo exhibs whenever possible.  

     

    Anyway great topic and I'm totally in with your  suggestion

    On 6/23/2024 at 7:47 PM, vkalia said:

    sharing our images and creative vision, perhaps we can have regular theme-based topics and people can share their photos related to that theme?

     

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    Thanks for that thoughtful response, @Luko.     A few comments of my own in no special order:

     

    - Re the use of the term “artistic” - you are correct, it does come across as fairly pretentious.     I was using it as a shorthand to denote an image where the appeal is not documentary in nature (as in, “here is a fish” or “here is a fish doing something interesting”) but where the composition, lighting, etc come together to create an image whose impact is greater than just the literal recording of the subject.     Pretentious or not, elevating something relatively mundane into something that has an emotional impact on the viewer is art, atleast to me (although this defending this definition is not a hill i will die on 🙂)

     

    - Absolutely agreed re geometry and composition.    Too many wildlife photographers - myself included - get so excited by what they are shooting that they forget the “photography” part of “wildlife photography”:  ie, the images still need to be designed/composed, and there is often a ‘decisive moment’ that needs to be captured.    Speaking for myself, when it comes to megafauna or really cool stuff, i get so excited by what i am seeing that my attention to those details diminishes.   OTOH, on days when there isnt a lot of action happening, that’s when I am able to slow down and look closely at interesting photo ops

     

    - Speaking of “looking” and “art”, even as a staunch wildlife/nature person, I have to say that the creative requirements of street photography is the highest.    Taking the most banal of subjects (people going about their daily life) and making into a compelling visual image requires immense skill.     And i absolutely agree with you about looking at the work of accomplished photographers is a great way to develop the art of seeing.  

     

    - There’s always been a bit of debate about quality vs quantity when shooting.   I agree with you - ideally, one should be able to get everything right in terms of composition and then take the shot.   Repeated shooting is a bit of a crutch.     Certainly, “spray and pray” is not an effective way to take good photos.    But there is merit to an approach that is in the middle - think about your composition, take a shoot, review and see what can be made better, and repeat.   Over time, as the lessons from these review/repeat sessions sink in, the number of poor shots one takes reduces.   There are a lot of shots i dont even bother taking anymore nowadays, because i know the results will be mediocre or worse.

     

    Cheers!

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    Great read and comments. I feel the same way as on any trip it takes me a couple days to get into basically semi-decent exposures then a few more dives to look, watch, wait, adjust and all to try and capture something I visualize.

     

    I also confess I read but quickly tire of all the "measurbating" on lines of resolution per millimeter, edge sharpness of this lens / dome port, blah blah blah......Please.....Or maybe I'm just bored after shooting perhaps conservatively 100,000 frames from film to digital since 2001 (????) 

     

    We need more discussion like this how an image makes one feel looking at it. These days I discount color, grain and other factors many (most?) shooter require in a photo to feel they succeeded. I've long been a fan of grainy B&W and here's an example of one photographer I really like his imaging.

     

    His insights truly inspire me!  

     

    Keep diving and shooting :)

     

    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/winning-travel-photo-contest-changed-life

     

    https://parley.tv/journal/2016/5/16/the-underwater-realm-photography-by-anuar-patjane

     

    https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/photographer-racking-awards-check-uses-point-shoot/

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    On 6/22/2024 at 5:41 AM, Troporobo said:

    Very well said.  For most of our dives I wish for even 5 minutes to work a subject!  Unfortunately my dive buddy is not so patient. But then she gets cold and heads up to the boat, so the final 15 minutes or so I’m on my own in shallow water, which often leads to images I like.  

    Well That's a great article by Vinnie and Vinnie has been quite humble in describing the kind of photographer he is. But having know him long enough, I would definitely add that Vinnie (Vandit) is a VERY VERY good photographer (underwater too). He does pen articles a little better though 🙂 🙂 

     

    Liked the read Vinnie.

     

    Diggy

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    8 hours ago, scubadiggy said:

    Well That's a great article by Vinnie and Vinnie has been quite humble in describing the kind of photographer he is. But having know him long enough, I would definitely add that Vinnie (Vandit) is a VERY VERY good photographer (underwater too). He does pen articles a little better though 🙂 🙂 

     

    Liked the read Vinnie.

     

    Diggy

     

    Damn, Diggy, you making me blush now.  🙂

     

    Been a while since jumping off the boat to rescue an idiotic golden retriever puppy, eh?   

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    On 6/30/2024 at 8:30 PM, dhaas said:

    We need more discussion like this how an image makes one feel looking at it.

     

    For me, there is one iconic photograph that stands out - David Doubilet (I think it was him) had a photo of a pod of orcas that were making a bee-line for the ocean, after having been trapped in Antarctic ice for a while (courtesy of an ice-breaker opening up a channel for them).      There isnt much to the image in terms of fancy lighting and such - just a line of orcas.      But the moment that was captured….  ooof.      Despite the still, you got an immediate sense of the sense of purpose with which those orcas were hauling ass.   A perfect example of what @Luko was saying about just capturing the magic moment perfectly.

     

    For the life of me, I can’t find that photo anywhere online.   

     

    PS - thanks for those links.   Some gorgeous images there.      And a reminder to me to get out of my shooting habits - i would likely never consider taking such wide angle shot from such a distance.    Maybe i will try something like that in Egypt in August.

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