6 Tips to Get You Started in Underwater Photography
For years I felt sidelined without underwater housing. Having grown up a competitive swimmer and now living in Hawaii – we are around water all of the time and during all the time around the water — I was missing out on photographs that I wanted in the worst way.
With that – I knew underwater photography was something that I always wanted to try — but was too terrified to actually do. I was terrified to put my gear in the water, terrified to try something completely and totally new and terrified that I was going to fail.
When it came to housing my gear – I had a million questions and felt I was starting my photography journey all over again. My hope is that some tips and things I encountered when housing my gear and getting started in underwater photography can help you in your quest in getting in the water!
Be honest with yourself and what you are trying to do and achieve.
When I started doing research to get into underwater photography – I found someone who I could really trust to give me some top-notch advice about what it was I was after. I made sure that I fully admitted to him that I knew zero, nada, zilch about underwater photography. Going into it with an open and clear mind really helped me get a basic understanding to continue with my research and make sure I was getting as much information from my trusted source as possible.
Rent first, buy later.
If you have the opportunity to get your hands on the housing that you are looking at or researching — rent. This was incredibly helpful when I was first starting out. The very first weekend when I rented underwater housing – I knew I was hooked — but I knew instantly that I needed to continue my research and find a totally different housing that better suited all my needs in the water. I am thankful I was able to rent first before investing in something that really didn’t fit my needs entirely.
Research and then research some more.
There are a lot of options on the market right now for underwater photography – everything from small lightweight cameras to bags to professional housing. Again – ask yourself some honest questions (How much am I going to be around water? How often will you use the housing? Where will you be shooting? And so on and so on.) What helped me was making a list of “must haves” when it came to housing. This helped me find the gear that would work best for me and the type of shooting I was after.
Insure everything.
Insurance is crucial when it comes to submerging your gear in the water. No need to explain further here — make sure you are insured.
Practice, practice, practice.
The first time you get in the water with your housing will be the most memorable. It is a mixture of “Wow. This is seriously the coolest thing I have ever done” and “Wow. This is seriously the hardest thing I have ever done.” But just like in any other genre of photography – the more you practice and work and try and play – the easier it will become.
Find your voice.
There is no doubt that underwater photography is gaining serious popularity – and it is truly obvious why – not only is it fun but this type of shooting offers so many options and ways to be creative. As photographers and artists – we can now push the limits and find our voices in new and amazing ways.
Allison Gipson is a lifestyle and family photographer serving all of the beautiful Aloha state. You can find more goods from Allison here:
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