Alert Diver Category: Imaging

Amos Nachoum is an accomplished dive and marine photographer. Read more about how Nachoum became interested in the intersection of diving and photography.

Underwater photographer David Doubilet was inspired by the ocean at an early age. Now, he’s known for his experimental underwater shots. Learn more about Doubilet’s career and creative process.

Michael Aw’s early life while growing up in Singapore — he didn’t see the ocean until age 17 — gave few clues that he would one day become one of the most influential print journalists in destination diving and ocean conservation. The author of or major contributor to 43 books, Aw created Ocean Geographic magazine in 2007 and also leads expeditions, often to exotic regions. He now hopes to raise awareness of the folly of shark-finning and the overexploitation of our marine resources.

NO ONE HAS NAVIGATED high-profile photo contests with greater aplomb than Renee Grinnell Capozzola. Her images being consistently recognized as the best of the best speaks to her strategic planning, vision, and technical execution.

It doesn’t seem so long ago that I rolled into Key Largo, Florida, with a Nikonos II camera and a darkroom sink in the back of my Chevy van to figure out how to make a living as an underwater photographer. Things have changed since 1978, and underwater photography is not the novelty it was when I started.

LED lighting can be used successfully for underwater still photography thanks to advancements in technology. Learn how to harness the power of LED lighting for great images.

A slow shutter speed underwater can help light appear brighter, bring more light into the background and creates intentional blurs. Read more about using a slow shutter speed.

Wide-angle photography captures good color and resolution when underwater. But the optimal use of a wide-angle lens is dependent on placement. Read more about wide-angle underwater photography.

Turbid water can be a challenging environment for underwater photographers, particularly when shooting wide angle. Turbid water may not appear brown or green from the surface — in many cases the water looks entirely different once we drop in and begin the dive. All water is turbid to some degree. Understanding what causes turbidity and knowing how to work around it can make a world of difference when shooting in those conditions. One of the best skills a photographer can develop, particularly for shooting wide angle, is learning how to read water quality.

Discover Jennifer Hayes, the photographer whose partnership with David Doubilet captures stunning underwater worlds for National Geographic.