Call for tips from the community: "Going Wide"

Jason Heller & Eric Cheng are working on a piece for the May issue of Sport Diver Magazine called “Going Wide.” The column will have a sidebar with tips on wide-angle underwater photography from the communities of both Wetpixel and DivePhotoGuide.

Mike's Point, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Copyright Eric Cheng.

Whether you shoot with a compact / point 'n shoot camera or a top-of-the-line SLR, shooting wide underwater is both challenging and rewarding. “Going wide” requires specific equipment, approaches and techniques. Do you have any tips or tricks that you want to share with the readers of Sport Diver Magazine?

There are many different types of environments or scenarios where your wide angle lens is the de facto choice -- the means to create the most striking image. Sometimes there are tricks to producing the types of results you’re looking for. What are your tips? What’s worked for you? What hasn’t? What have you learned?

Send Jason & Eric your tips, or post them at the bottom of this article in the comments.

• Send one sentence quotes (you may submit as many as you’d like, they will all become part of the pool we select from)
  
• Please include your full name if you want it published, otherwise we will use your anonymous username
  
• By submitting any quote you are providing permission to publish the quote and your name (if provided) in Sport Diver
  

DEADLINE: Monday 14th by 11:59pm (Pacific Standard Time)

Remember, we are looking for one line quotes, not images. Feel free to send images along with your quotes for our viewing pleasure, but this is a call specifically for quotes!

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This is for the IMAGES column of Sport Diver Magazine. See the current column, Your Best Shots.

I don't think I will ever find a lense wide enough for underwater, nor a strobe to match it"

One sentence, please. I can't even say hello in less than a paragraph

Going wide really requires that you pay attention to the "near, middle and far" elements of the image. The greatest strength of wide angle work is in letting you get close to a subject for maximum impact, while giving environmental context to the subject. But at the same time as getting close to your subject you really need to pay attention to the background and distant elements in your composition. It's really amazing how distracting an errant fin tip can be at the edge of an image.

Or, I suppose you could abbreviate that to:

Pay close attention to the background and distant elements in your composition. It's really amazing how distracting an errant fin tip can be at the edge of an image.

Pay attention to your blues. Nothing ruins a good WA photo more than a muddy or washed out blue background.

I bought a Sea and Sea DX1 with wide angle lens at DEMA, and I have been frustrated ever since!

Not with the equipment but at where to point the #$%^& camera! Do I go wide, do I go macro!

Top tips from a novice - don't point the wide angle lens at any thing with straight lines - they come out bendy (unless thats that the look that you were going for!). Get a good strobe.

I have found that the wide angle lens on the point and shoot has really helped me with the quality of my videos!

Lastly if you are a beginner - try the point and shoot wet lenses - but make sure you buy a caddy that attaches to the arm of you strobe or similar. (I have taken off the WA lens, placed in appropriate place on a rock or piece of sand to take a macro shot, and then wandered off - luckily I remembered where I had left it!).

Hope this helps the article!

Vids available on Youtube if anyone is interested .....

Kay Wilson

Indigo Dive,

St. Vincent

Assign the focus function to the * button (focus lock button), and get a lot closer than you think you need to be....