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Photographing underwater wildlife: nine top tips from Christian Vizl
world photography organization (wpo)
Dec 20, 2019
TECHNIQUE: IT’S A GOOD PLACE TO START
While it’s not all about technique it’s a good place to start. I love to shoot with a wideangle lens, I often use a 16-35mm as it gives me quite a bit of flexibility when wanting to get close to my subjects. I’ll switch my settings to shutter priority so I’m freer to concentrate on getting those important shots - as wildlife can be pretty unpredictable fast moving! If shooting macro, manual settings are a must so you can control mainly depth of field while using flash.
MAKE SURE YOU...
To be a good underwater photographer you’ve got to (obviously) be well trained in diving.
Before you consider taking a camera out make sure you’re totally confident in the ocean. Spend time developing your distinctive style and of course respect the wildlife and their environment.
TRY AND AVOID...
This goes without saying but always good to remind everyone! It’s really important to not touch or harass the animals in any way. Make sure you don’t go beyond your capabilities while diving and be respectful of other divers too. It’s a special community the diving community and being supportive of another is key.
RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH
Researching and planning is key in underwater photography as conditions are so critical in getting the right shots. Make sure you check out the best diving centers, times of the year and, of course, be really familiar with the behaviour of the animals you’ll be encountering. The more you can learn about your subject the better.
FORMING A RAPPORT
The most important thing in wildlife photography is to develop a profound love and respect for your subjects and discover as much as possible about their particular behaviour so you can behave accordingly and maximize your chances to establish a positive rapport, but keep in mind that each animal is an individual and will have individual behavior.
WEATHER
Check the forecast before you head out. If the weather is bad, the diving center won’t take people out but in terms of avoiding conditions as a photographer try and avoid times of strong winds as they can create big waves which isn’t great for images. I’m a firm believer you can create an amazing photograph in any lighting condition.
AIM FOR THE TOP LOCATIONS
You’ve got to travel to where the most amazing wildlife are to get those great shots. For me, South Baja California, particularly La Paz, Cabo Pulmo and Los Cabos are my top three spots.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Keep looking at other photographers’ work, it’s a great way to learn how to compose an image as well as seeing the many ways you can communicate what’s going on in the world. Jacques Cousteau, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Sebastian Salgado, Nick Brandt, Peter Beard, David Doubilet and Ernie Brooks have all been lifelong inspirations.
POST-PRODUCTION
Post-production has always been a key element in photography however today’s technology offers us tools with almost endless capabilities, so sometimes it’s tricky to know where to start. Try and know one post-processing software tool really well. I only use Adobe’s Lightroom for my editing.
Enter your best wildlife or underwater photography images to the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards competition, now open and free to enter.
Christian Vizl was born in Mexico City and has been a photographer for over three decades. He's won numerous international professional awards including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, International Photographer of the Year and has been recognized in the Sony World Photography Awards. Vizl has served as a judge in several international underwater photography contests and his images have been published in numerous media outlets, including National Geographic and Ocean Geographic.
See Christian Vizl's portfolio here.
Check out his Instagram feed here.
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