getting started in u/w photographyTEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK AND SUE DRAFAHL

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Tips & TechniquesWide Angle

Easy Steps to Success!

I t seems that whenever we tell some-one we are scuba divers, they immedi-ately want to know what it looks likein the deep blue. We find the best

solution is to show them wide angle pho-tos, which provide a true idea of under-water ambiance. These images vividlycapture a colorful panoramic reef and thecreatures that inhabit it. Thanks to tech-nological developments in underwatercamera equipment, these photos can nowbe captured by amateur and pro alike.

Sea & Sea offers one of the most versa-tile underwater camera systems, theMotor Marine II-EX. The secret to thissystem is the built-in close-up lens andthat the auxiliary lenses are fully inter-changeable underwater. With this systemyou can take general reef photos with the

24 SKIN DIVER SEPTEMBER 1998

built-in normal lens, adda macro lens for that col-orful nudibranch and thenswitch to one of the twowide angle lenses before thatManta Ray that passes you by.

The 16 and the 20mm wide anglelenses for the Motor Marine II-EX arequick and easy to use. Simply removethe wide angle lens from the lens caddyand attach it to the camera via the bayo-net mount. Set the focus to infini ty andyou are ready to go. Depth of fieldvaries, depending upon the f/stop youset on the camera. Not to worry as thedepth of field scale is in bold type on thetop of the lens. For example, with the16mm lens set at f/22, everything is infocus from 11 inches to infinity. With a

The Sea & SeaMotor Marine ll-EX's

interchangeable 16 and20mm wide angle lenses can capture

the panorama of the reef.

coverage angle of 91 degrees this is apretty impressive lens. If you only needan underwater picture angle of 80degrees, then the 20mm lens at f/22 pro-vides depth of field from 15.4 inches toinfinity.

Since most wide angle scenes under-water need more than sunlight, a strobethat matches the angle of coverage ofyour lens will improve the quality ofyour images. There are dozens of combi-

(Continued on Page 77)

GETTING STARTED INU/W PHOTOGRAPHY(Continued from Page 24)

nations of strobes, synch cords andstrobe arms that accomplish this task.For the beginning underwater photog-rapher this may be a bit confusing, so wewill discuss some of the more commonsetups we have found effective with theMotor Marine II-EX system.

Starting with the most basic system,you can attach a single strobe (YS-60,YS- 120 or YS-300) to either the basicarm that comes in the Motor Marine II-EX kit or the Sea Arm V. The Sea Arm Vgives you more flexibility and lets youmove the strobe farther from the cam-era, which is important if there are parti-cles floating in the water. By keeping thestrobe at an angle some distance fromthe camera backscatter (caused by strobelight hitting the particles) is minimized.

The light from this setup frequentlythrows a single shadow somewhere onthe background, which is not usually aproblem. This shadow can be mini-mized if you balance the available lightto the flash output. This is accomplishedby adjusting the underexposure lightinside the camera until the sunlight andstrobe light are equal in value. Turn thef/stop down to f/22 and then slowlyopen it up as you press the shutterrelease down halfway. When the redlight goes out, you have a balancebetween the strobe and sunlight.

Dual strobe photography gives youtotal control of the lighting in the scene.Ratio lighting usually provides the bestresults and is accomplished by mixingtwo different sized strobes or varyingthe output of each strobe. For example,you can use two YS-120 strobes with thedouble strobe synch connector andplace one closer to the subject. Anotheroption with two YS-120 strobes is to useone with a single TTL sync cord and thesecond set to power as a cordless slave.

We like to use either the YS-60 or YS-120 as the main strobe and the YS-30 asa cordless slave. Because the YS-30 iscordless and so compact, it allows totalflexibility. We have even handed the YS-30 to a diver and had him/her illuminatethe subject from a distance and used itas a photo prop.

We would like to tell you one setupworks for all wide angle scenes but U/Wphotography isn't that simplistic. Divelocations throughout the world varygreatly in visibility, water color and cur-rents and each situation demands a spe-cific camera, lens and strobe setup.

Shipwrecks, for example, are usuallyin deep water and areas with plenty ofsilt. Using a strobe at any distance fromthe camera may cause backscatter, so

your best bet is with high speed film andas wide a lens as possible. The 16mmlens is a great choice for wrecks and yourfilm choice would be ISO 400. The high-er speed film allows for a smaller f/stop,which allows you to shoot closer to thesubject with an increased depth of field.

If you are into shark feeding, we rec-ommend the 20mm wide angle and asingle strobe. Pan the shark as it swimsby and squeeze the shutter. The shadowfrom the single strobe will dissipate intoopen water; the compact size of thecamera and a single strobe allows easymaneuverability.

There are two strobe techniques forcapturing schools of fish on film. If youwant to avoid the silver reflection of thefish scales, keep the strobe at a 45 degreeangle to the school. If you want the silvereffect, keep it as perpendicular as possi-ble. Keep in mind that if you want thesilver effect, the TTL sensors may befooled by the bright light bouncing back.The results will be a very dark back-ground and silver gray fish. To avoid thisproblem, you should use manual strobeand bracket your exposures.

The best part of becoming a wideangle underwater photographer is when

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:ircte §4 on Reader Service CardSKIN DIVER SEPTEMBER 1998 77

GETTING STARTED INU/W PHOTOGRAPHY

you see the results of your efforts. Wideangle pictures keep the memories ofyour last dive alive. They allow you toshare the wonders of the underwaterworld with those who have never takenthe plunge. So, grab that wide angle lens,put it on your Motor Marine II-EX andlet's go diving!

For more information, contact Sea &Sea Underwater Photography USA, 1938Kellogg Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008;

(800) 732-7977, (760) 929-1909, fax(760) 929-0098. Visit Sea & Sea's Web siteat www.sea-sea@infotopia.or.jp.

DESCEND INTOYOUR FUTURE(Continued from Page 49)

allows students to pick their own level ofinvolvement in instructor training, begin-ning with a PADI instructor rating andextending through master instructor orresort specialist. The following is a brief

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breakdown of the various modules andlevels available. Details of this trainingand the requirements for each level arebeyond the scope of this article. It is bestto explore the details by calling Under-water Careers International directly.

You must be a certified PADI openwater diver before even considering em-barking on the path to instructor. DiversUnlimited/Underwater Careers Inter-national does have a special program thatcan take you from novice to instructor ina surprisingly short period, but there areminimum time requirements for eachlevel. Look at the program as a series ofbuilding blocks, each building on the onebefore to take you up the ladder of suc-cess. Step number one is rescue diver,developing essential lifesaving skills andan understanding of dive accident man-agement. Step number two is medic firstaid, a further development of the skillsone begins in the rescue diver course.

Step number three is the first profes-sional certification, divemaster. Here onelearns the ins and outs of daily dive activ-ities, applicable to everything frominland freshwater sites to shore dives toseeing that a dive boat runs smoothly.Following this, it is recommended thatprospective instructor candidates takethe IDC Prep, a two day course that out-lines PADI's expectations and serves as arefresher course prior to the IDC proper.The IDC itself is the most time and ener-gy intensive of all the courses. Expect afull time involvement for the full lengthof the course. Following this is the in-structor exam, administered by examin-ers from PADI's main office.

The full course, from rescue diverthrough the IDC, is combined into whatDivers Unlimited calls the Triad Pro-gram. This full immersion method ispossibly the best way to hone your skillsand maximize your knowledge. You arelikely to go from start to finish withother dedicated individuals, which willlet you see how others handle the meth-ods, as well as build upon each othersshared experiences.

Those most dedicated will want to goon to the next level, the Gold InstructorProgram. This includes medic first aidinstructor (allowing you to conductmedic first aid instructor classes), mas-ter scuba diver trainer (certification forteaching six specialty classes) and theresort instructor course (familiarizingyou with the unique aspects of workingat a dive resort). Each segment translatesto the bottom line; each means moremoney when you are finally on the job.

The ultimate value of Divers Un-limited/Underwater Careers Interna-tional is the wealth of shared experience,learning in the company of seasonedprofessionals and the career opportuni-

78 SKIN DIVER SEPTEMBER 1998