First time in the water with my dSLR and the Tokina 10-17

After a month waiting for good weather I decided to go into the pool of my parents to practice with my new rig, Aquatica AD7000 and Tokina 10-17 behind a mini dome.

We are at the end of the winter so the pool was really green, I only had 30 to 40 cm of visibility. I was at less than one meter deep and I was unable to see the surface.

Because of that, close focus wide angle was the only thing possible there.

This was my experience playing for the first time with the rig underwater:

Just before I submerged I noticed that the camera was completely dead and I thought to my self: the batteries!!! I forgot to change the batteries the day before.

Out of the water, out of the dry suit, open the the housing, change the battery. That was the problem. duh!!!

Into the water again.

I took some shots without the strobes in order to adjust aperture and shutter speed.

This was really easier than with my P&S camera, I don't have to press more than one button to deactivate the strobes and I can review the shot very fast.

Now I realize about the bubbles in the dome, I need to be more careful about it next time.

Before approaching the subjects, I adjusted the strobes taking a few more shots. Again easier than with the P&S.

Then the fun begins. Using some small toys I started to take some CFWA shots.

Two problems I faced:

Dark area in the middle and the strobes too near to the limits of the frame shot:

After an hour and forty minutes in the water I realized the following.

Pointing the strobes a few degrees to the inside resolved the problem of the dark area:

Moving the strobes back resolved the problem of too much light in the corners:

In the last shot I aimed the left strobe in the left side of the frame very near to the housing, the right strobe was above the housing. I think that the right strobe could be moved a little back, I didn't noticed underwater.

Any comments about strobes techniques for CFWA will be very much appreciated.

This is the first time I take a shot so close to the subject, being careful not to scratch the dome.

I wasn't expecting so clear images with the conditions of the pool, I cannot wait to see the results in open water environments.

In brief, this is getting fun and I'm anxious to go to dive and take some shots.

This is actually an excellent post that has got way too little attention/appreciation.

It would be great though if you would post some images of the approx strobe positions used for the different results.

This is actually an excellent post that has got way too little attention/appreciation.

 

It would be great though if you would post some images of the approx strobe positions used for the different results.

Glad that you like the post.

The images with the strobe positions is a good idea.

I will try to do it during the week.

Excellent post, helpful for new mini dome users. Keep posting tests:)

BTW: What font is that "Andres Cuevas 2011" signature?

Excellent post, helpful for new mini dome users. Keep posting tests:)

BTW: What font is that "Andres Cuevas 2011" signature?

In Lightroom watermarking tool, the font is Chiller Bold.

You should tell your parents that they have some strange little animals living in their pool...

Thanks for posting this. I think when we are in "real water" we get so excited by the images we're getting, that little details like strobe placement get forgotten. I have more than a few shots I've needed to crop in order to rid the "encroaching strobe" from the edge of the frame.

I just took delivery of a 10 - 17, so I'll need to be careful all over again!