42. Atlantic spotted dolphins
Nothing beats a perfectly composed and exposed natural shot with a strong story! But you need to be able to get that shot, of course.
Artificial light emitted from our strobes has many positive effects on our photography. It not only feeds the with light, but it also increases the contrast, allows for better colour accuracy and saturation. The deeper we go, the more essential our additional light source becomes. Yet when it comes to using strobes there are a few downsides to it as well. The recharging speed of the strobes and unwanted illumination of the water column between the camera and the are the negative side effects we need to deal with. The faster the action, the higher demand for the strobe recycle speed. The worse the visibility, the more pronounced the effect of the illumination of the water mass in our work space. On the other hand, the shallower we stay, the more sunlight we have available. Furthermore, leaving the strobes on the boat can add to our mobility, which can translate to more precise framing.
Dolphins are typical subject where using strobes often causes more trouble than benefit. Most of the time these mammals are found in shallow water with plenty of light. Since they move quickly good swimming skills and maneuverability are required to compose a good frame. Furthermore, oftentimes dolphins refuse to play with human who flash them with strobe light.
- Camera settings: Whereas in most photography situations, there is a slight tolerance in camera settings, in this topic, there is non. Since we don’t use the strobes, we have no additional tools that would partially compensate for our imperfection in the form of blur or incorrect exposure. Another reason why I emphasise the importance of correct camera settings in first place is, that you should work on these before you jump in the water, so if the action happens right away, you don’t miss the shot. The faster the animal moves, the faster you want the shutter speed. The shorter the distance between the camera and the subject, the faster the shutter speed needs to be in order to prevent motion blur. With fast moving dolphins I recommend 1/640s, but you can try out any value from the range 1/320 - 1/800. The faster you go, the more detail you retain, but higher ISO values will be needed to compensate for proper exposure. Aperture F/5.6-F/7.1 allows a decent depth of field. Since shutter speed and aperture are relatively fixed, ISO is the most flexible variable that can be adjusted last. This is where your camera shines or fails. In cloudy conditions, ISO values easily climb up to 3200, which can cause distracting noise in some cameras. Tip: Check the histogram and nail the exposure. The more accurate the exposure in the camera, the better the natural look it will retain during post-processing.
- Get ready on the boat! This is where lots of photographers fail. Pre-dive check: Prepare your camera for the action in advance. Make sure the memory card is inside and battery is charged. Take a few shots before you turn the camera back off. Pre-jump check: Before you slide/jump in, turn the camera on, make a shot or two and quickly check the settings. Now you are ready to shoot right after the bubbles disappear from the view and won’t miss the shot.
- The equipment: A DSLR or a high-end mirrorless camera with fisheye or wide angle rectilinear lens and a bigger dome port delivers uncompromising results. While a full frame mirrorless camera with the fisheye lens is the best option, an ultra wide rectilinear zoom lens may be another good way to go. (16-35mm, 14-35mm). A crop sensor DSLR with Tokina 10-17mm zoom is another great setup that gets the job done.
- Shoot hi-frame rate sequence: A high frame rate is another feature where your camera excels or lets you down. Set it to the highest frame rate offered while maintaining the highest image quality setting (Hi-bit colour RAW). With a series of shots taken at each interesting event, the chance of capturing the right moment is significantly higher!
- Choose the right focusing method: If your camera’s focus is fast enough to keep up with fast moving subject, use the back focus button and shutter release only to trigger the exposure. If the camera can’t keep up, prefocus on selected distance (outstretched leg or fin) and turn off the auto-focus. This prevents the camera from hunting while you can fully concentrate on composition.
Canon R5
Seacam Housing, 9” Dome port
Canon 8-15mm FE,
No Strobes
Settings: F/6.3, 1/640s, ISO500
Location: Bimini, Bahamas
February 2022
