Underwater Photography Tips: Taking Silhouettes
This reef shark photo was shot in Cuba with an Olympus XZ-2 compact camera at 15 feet deep, 10 feet from the shark itself.
Paul Colley
Our best tips and techniques for creating striking silhouettes in your underwater photos.
1. NO FLASH NECESSARY
Silhouettes are high-contrast, high-impact images that do not need flash. But they are a way to properly understand exposed backgrounds that we use for flash photography. The photographer who understands silhouettes and image backgrounds will more easily master all aspects of underwater photography.
2. WHAT TO FOCUS ON
Silhouettes are about subject choice, viewpoint and thinking about the image in two layers: the subject and a clean background. The only layer that you need to expose for is the background. If that exposure is correct, the image will work.
3. HOW IT WORKS
Use shutter priority mode (S) to achieve a high shutter speed (ideally 1/125 sec or faster), because the subject will usually be in open water and moving. But you can also use aperture priority (A) or manual (M). Use spot- or center-weighted metering to get a good exposure against a bright background. Expose against the background in the direction you intend to shoot the subject, and be sure to shoot looking up and away from background clutter. Choose an easily recognizable subject like a turtle, your buddy or a big fish. Here it’s the shape — not the subject — that tells the story.
Paul Colley is an award-winning underwater photographer, compact-camera instructor and author of Winning Images with Any Underwater Camera. mpcolley.com.
To find the latest in underwater compact cameras, visit SeaLife Underwater Cameras.
To view more underwater photography tips for your compact camera, visit our Guide to Underwater Photography.