Our newest contributor, Keri LaMar, submitted these amazing under the sea pics and photography tips for beginners. And we are so excited about these photos!
St. John’s distinguished beauty is immediately obvious to anyone fortunate enough to spend time on our special little island. Although I have lived here over four years, I still find that I take more photographs than most visitors. My fascination with the underwater world is no exception! And just as on land, I am rarely in the water without my camera.
In full disclosure, I have no formal training – in fact, I have no training whatsoever – yet people repeatedly ask me, “Why don’t my underwater photos look like yours?”
If you don’t know the meaning of ‘RAW’, ‘ISO’ or ‘macro’ as they relate to photography, and your eyes start to glaze when anyone spouts off technical photo-lingo, this article is for you – from one novice to another.
Over the next few weeks, I will be offering some basic tips along with photos from various St. John snorkel spots that will not exactly make you a pro, but will make you look sort of like one! I took these shots at one of my favorite snorkel venues – Honeymoon Beach. Whether snorkeling to the left towards Solomon Bay, or to the right towards Caneel, I almost always find something new!
Few things are more frustrating than spending a day in the water with your newly purchased camera, only to excitedly load them onto your computer and find that what you see on the screen is not at all an accurate reflection of what you saw in the water. Having a few basic tips in your bathing suit pocket may help!
Tip #1:
A quality camera is important. If you ask for a recommendation in one of the St. John social media forums for the best underwater camera, you will probably get a unanimous response – the ‘Olympus Tough T-series’. Unfortunately, this affordable, user-friendly underwater camera was recently discontinued. However, the good news is that several sources are offering them at a significant discount. Other brands that also offer their own line of quality underwater cameras include Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm and SeaLife. Whichever camera you select, be sure to invest the time to learn the basic features.
Tip #2:
Make sure you are comfortable in the water before attempting any underwater photography. One of the most important rules while snorkeling is to take every precaution not to kick, stand on, or otherwise disturb our fragile coral.
Tip #3:
While all camera brands offer their own specific settings on their various models, a camera with an automatic underwater mode is ideal for beginners. The Olympus Tough allows users to select from one of several settings specifically designed to capture action scenes and close-ups, but my favorite setting – and the one I use almost exclusively – is the ‘Underwater Wide 1’. This setting is specifically purposed for landscape shots but does a fantastic job capturing nearly every situation.
Tip #4:
Lighting is key. It plays one of the biggest roles in capturing exceptional underwater photos. A sunny day lends for the most vibrant, colorful shots. If it is overcast, no amount of creative editing will correct your disappointing photos. Keep the light at your back when possible. Use the flash sparingly, and only if you are close to the subject, or you will risk diluting the rich colors.
Editing is one of the most important steps to the final product when it comes to underwater photography. I’ll be concluding this series with some editing tips in the coming weeks!
I love your article! Your pictures are beautiful! Thank you, Keri!
Thanks for the tips!! Love the pictures too.
Beautiful Cuz I am impressed.
Anyone who goes to STJ needs some kind of underwater camera! Thanks for the photography tips. Looking forward to reading more!
looking forward to your next articles. avid snorkeler. I have Nikon Coolpix 4K, had for 3 years now. can transfer to I-phone via Bluetooth. very happy. had a Canon, I would advise against, not waterproof
Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful pictures! Thank you for some great advice and looking forward to reading more!
I just purchased an Olympus TG-6 for my next trip to STJ. Thanks for all of the tips in this article, looking forward to the rest of the series!
I love the tips! Who can’t use those? Thank you! Keep it coming
Great pics I love my TG4. I always have to edit my pics with photoshop to maximize them
BEAUTIFUL!!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!
Hi Keri. Your photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Thanks for the tips! Just purchased a TG-6 and am excited to try it out. Looking forward to your editing tips!