Split Photos

Hi everyone,

I just got back in the water with my camera and I decided to get some practice with split photographs. I used my Nikon D100 with a Nikon 16mm lens in a Subal housing. I really think that the 10.5 DX will be much better for the horizontal shots because the 16mm is not wide enough.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any advice to get better resoults with this tipe of photography.

Thanks

and the last one, I just needed a shark or stingray swimming there

Very nice. You even did it the hard way. Much easer to do vertical splits.

Only suggestion is what you already pointed out. There is no subject in the water half of the image. Add a shark or stingray or interesting coral formation and these would be perfect.

Really nice shots, IMO the third one is the best.

Do you have any advice on how to get these shots?

Hi David,

The pictures are great, except for the lack of subject, especially in the first shot

The sky in the first 2 shots appear a tad overexposed, though. I suggest you get a graduated filter to compensate for the difference in light intensity above and under the water.

Cheers,

Mathieu

Really nice shots, IMO the third one is the best.

 

Do you have any advice on how to get these shots?

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Hi Fernando,

How to get these shots depends on which camera and housing you use.

Generally, you will need, as a minimum, a fisheye lens and port (for dSLR cameras), or a wet-attached fisheye converter (for consumer/prosumer cameras).

In addition, depending on the location, time of the day and subject, you may require one or all of the following: strobe(s), split diopter, and graduated filter... a calm sea also helps...

Cheers,

Mathieu

I have added a mask spray to my list of things to take when I do split images. The spray works wonders on making sure no droplets are visible on the above water part. What do other people use for this?

Cor

RainX (the stuff used on car windshield) works great on glass ports, but is not recommended for acrylic ports. Not sure what's best for the latter.

Cheers,

Mat

Baby Shampoo or Spit

I recently tryed over unders for the first time with my d70, 10.5. Having a good subject below that draws your eye was helpful, and getting close to the above subject ,if there was one, also added drama. i have found it hard to get the light balanced above and below without a flash below, when not in very shallow water. with digital this seems much easier. i meter above, then set the flash by ditance and gide number. then with the beauty of digital, check the results and change as needed. ill post some of my resuts when im at my home computer tonight west coast time

DavidG don't dismiss a shot like the first one because it doesn't have a subject. That's a great background shot that would easily sell as stock to people like me who are always looking for that blue/blue-green color water combination for things like brochures and ads. I would recommend that you shoot several versions of that same shot horizontally, vertically, at different angles, in focus, out of focus, as well as any other creative variation you could come up with. They may not win any contests, but you can potentially get someone to pay you to use it.

Good job on all of them!

Bonnie

Hi Dave,

Here are a couple of ideas/tips. Both shot with Nikon 16mm fisheye and film (by the way, d2x is on the way in the next few months).

The first one, from Fiji is in ambient light, while the second photo uses two flashes (IKE 200s) at 1/8 power not to overexpose the jacks. Shutter speeds are 1/125th of a sec and the aperture is around f8 or so, if I remember correctly.

I strongly suggest to always shoot in manual so you do the thinking, not the camera.

Instead of getting really fancy and using ND filters - something to remember with this kind of photography is to always position the sun on your back, if possible, so you don't blow out the skey/water/etc. Using Velvia or the equivalent setting in your digital camera generates the rich colors.

In both of these shots, the water was too deep to stand in. So... to stablize myself and my ancient film camera and strobes, I used a really hi-tech piece of gear. Are you ready? Sea noodles!

That's right. The kind sold at pharmacies and supermarkets for young children to use in the pool and ocean. Two of those provide plenty of buoyancy to balance your camera and stablize yourself. Just put them across your armpits and viola. They cost about US$2 apiece (just watch Nikon put their logo on something similar and sell them for $50 a pop).

For the Fiji shot, I used my sea sausage (surface signaling device) partially inflated. With fins and a snorkel, I swam around in a little cove in beautiful Yanuca Island and shot away - and got many many keepers.

Spit also works great to minimize water droplets - which in my opinion are no major sin if kept to a minimum - adds a sense of being there - having drops on your mask as you surface...

Good luck,

Michael

www.mpostock.com

www.batfishbooks.com

all taken with d70/nexus/10.5/inon

all taken with d70/nexus/10.5/inon

and these

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