Underwater Photography Tips: Backgrounds

Keep your backdrop simple for memorable photos with these tips and techniques.

1) Why It Matters A good background in terms of photography means an area of relative inconspicuousness. Portrait photographers place subjects against prepared backdrops to remove clutter, as should you. Think of the background first when planning your shots; it will frame and enhance your subject, as well as provide contrast and context.

2) Good Backgrounds ‘Blue- and green-water backgrounds are simple and effective, so look outward and upward from reefs for subjects in open water. Alternatively, anything that provides context for a creature — such as the anemone for an anemonefish — can be good background. Select a vibrant color patch, and wait for your subject to swim into the right background.

3) In The Water If using a flash, use high shutter speeds and small apertures to create black backgrounds, perfect to highlight a fish portrait. Slower shutter speeds and larger apertures can create blue-water backgrounds. Rely on the flash to freeze the motion of the foreground subject. Using manual-exposure mode (M) gives you great control over aperture and shutter speed to control these background colors.

Paul Colley is an award-winning underwater photographer, compact-camera instructor and author of Winning Images with Any Underwater Camera. To view more of his work, visit 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.