Why are these images of the reef so colourful ?
 

There is much more colour underwater than appears to the naked eye. Seawater is about a thousand times less transparent than air, light is scattered by particles and colours filtered out the deeper you go. Daylight composes of all colours of the spectrum and as it filters through depth, the colour is selectively absorbed according to the particular wavelength that colour travels on. As each colour is filtered out, less light remains to penetrate depth.
	The first to go are the warm reds and oranges which begin to fade within the first metre and are 90% absorbed within the first 10 meters.
Bright yellows and greens can be seen at most scuba diving depths, but below 40 metres, the prevailing colour is blue
	At around 100 metres, there is very little light and the only colour that can penetrate to such depths is blue-violet.
In underwater photography powerful lights or "strobes" are used to restore colour and reveal the brilliant hues of nature on the reef.

For the First Timers…

The best advice I can give is to practice and no matter what system you are using while embarking on underwater photography, take the time to shoot test rolls. Feel it, get a taste of the order of considerations and continue shooting test rolls until you are achieving the desired results. This can be done in a pool, but for more accurate results diving in the wild has no comparison. Simply take a pencil and underwater slate down with you to write down the different camera settings for each shot you take. Note your aperture and shutter speed (especially when bracketing), strobe distance, lighting conditions etc. for each shot. The more information you log at the beginning the better. After developing your film, analyse the results while making written criticism of what works and what doesn't according to the information on the slate you took down on the dive. Look for the sharpness, exposure, composition, depth of field, backscatter from the strobe and get a feel of how you are progressing. This is best kept in a separate log for referral as it only takes a few rolls of film to dial it in beyond the basics when you have an understanding of what works and what doesn't while shooting underwater. I often take out that very first roll of film I shot and get inspired from my humble beginnings as an underwater photographer.

Then…

The fun begins when you experiment with different lenses and film, for each has their own idiosyncrasies to master, and what better way than to practice. The places to explore around the globe are endless, even if the budget isn't. A trip on a live aboard vessel for a week or two, where you meet up with other photographers and talk the talk will give almost instant results as you eat, sleep & dive underwater photography.

To master underwater photography, it is best if you feel at home while diving. Like most things, is not all that difficult, just experience in different diving conditions. Continuing education also goes a long way in helping to attain that comfort. In underwater photography, the more you understand the elements you are dealing with, from the technical aspects to the order of the environment, coupled with patience and practice, will give you results beyond your wildest dreams.

I personally fell in love with the sea as a teenager and explored her many facets with every opportunity and became increasingly aware of her untamed nature. After diving for over a decade, both commercially and for pleasure, underwater photography entered my life and from that moment on, to dive without taking a camera was not diving for me, even if I did not take a single frame. My focus has shifted over the past 2 decades and I have enjoyed the trials & tribulations of this ever-demanding art form. For those who wish to take the plunge I offer you every success and my words for encouragement.

Allan Payard