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The primary target for most people is, of course, a good picture of yourself and your
friends surrounded by tropical fish. This is actually the easiest part.
A diver should be only 5ft./1 50 cm. away for a good picture. Portrait shots of diver and
fish are best taken at 2ft. to 4 ft. with the snap-on 3X Close-Up lens. Use the 8X Close-
Up lens for extreme close-up of 14” to 16” / 36 cm. to 41 cm. For larger objects such as
group shots or sharks use the SeaLife wide angle lens at distances of 3 - 5 ft.
/ 90-150 cm.
You may chum for fish with bits of food, but pick something that does not fall apart and
cloud up the water (for example, bread dissolves and clouds up the water). Check with a
local dive master to select chum that does not endanger the fish.
Be very calm and patient, and let that curious fish get closer and closer. There are two
ways of using current to your advantage: 1. Drift motionless along with your camera in
ready position. 2. Stay in a camera-ready waiting position, approach your subject facing
the current.
Always take notes of your pictures and mark your films. It is very exciting to document every
fish in your area in an album.
Once you have some experience you might start to take slides and put a presentation
together, possibly combined with music and video for dive clubs, schools and friends.
Scan your best film pictures and use them just like digital images.
d) Great Effects
Everything about seeing and taking pictures is about light. Pay attention to
light and
shade, colors and contrasts
, don’t just get mesmerized by that big fish.
