Fish and Underwater Photography
Written by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
Abstract
Underwater fish photography is the craft of recording fish and reef life through water that absorbs light and colour and lifts particles into the beam. This guide covers why underwater is hard, colour and light loss with depth, backscatter and flash range, lens choice and approach for shy fish, camera angles, and the shoot, review and adjust routine, with eight diagrams and two tables.
Keywords: underwater photography, fish photography, colour loss, backscatter, underwater flash, macro lens, diving
- Why is underwater photography so difficult?
- How fast do light and colour disappear with depth?
- What is backscatter, and how far does flash reach?
- How do you photograph fish?
- Which camera angle gives the best fish picture?
- How do you set exposure with flash and look after the kit?
- Which camera settings suit fish and underwater photography?
Why is underwater photography so difficult?
Short answer. Water takes light and colour, lifts particles into the beam, and strains the photographer and the kit.
- Underwater photography adds problems to every normal photographic task. The authors of one guide rank it among the most difficult kinds of photography (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
- The main challenges are light loss, colour loss, backscatter, cold water, currents and salt water, which corrodes cameras (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Figure 1 lists them.
- When the sun is low, more light reflects from the surface. The best hours are between 10 am and 2 pm, in calm water (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005; Scuba.com, n.d.).
Before you dive, practise your camera controls on land with thick gloves on. You will need them cold.
Underwater film shares these problems. Plan colour and light before the dive, because correcting them later costs time.
Cham tipPlan the dive around the best light, 10 am to 2 pm.
Cham taskList the six challenges from memory.
Check yourself: Which hours give the most light underwater?
Between 10 am and 2 pm.
How fast do light and colour disappear with depth?
Short answer. Red is gone within a few metres, and light halves about every 10 metres.
- Water acts like a red filter. One source says no red from sunlight is left by 3 m (10 ft) (Scuba.com, n.d.), and another says red can vanish in as little as 15 ft, followed by orange, yellow, green and finally blue (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
- At 25 m (80 ft) only the blue part of the spectrum is left (Scuba.com, n.d.). Figure 2 marks these depths.
- Overall light falls by about half for every 10 m (30 ft), so about 25 percent of surface light remains at 20 m (Scuba.com, n.d.). Figure 3 shows the pattern.
At the shallowest dive, take a grey card or a white slate. Photograph it at the surface and at depth to see colour loss yourself.
In video, set a custom white balance at the working depth. Colour changes quickly, so reset it after you descend.
Cham tipGet shallow, get close, or add light.
Cham taskSketch the depth scale and mark red and blue.
Check yourself: At what depth is only blue left?
About 25 m (80 ft).
What is backscatter, and how far does flash reach?
Short answer. Backscatter is lit particles in the beam. Flash colour reaches about 8 ft, so get close.
- Floating particles look like snow in a snowstorm when a flash lights them. This is backscatter, and it is one of the biggest problems underwater (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
- Keep the flash away from the lens axis and angle it out. With a wide-angle lens, the authors place the flash head on a long arm so it is only just visible at the edge of the picture (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Figure 4 compares two positions.
- Flash brings back colour, but its colour and intensity fall off with distance, and its impact usually dissipates beyond about 8 ft (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Shoot closer to shorten the water path, which makes the flash more effective (Scuba.com, n.d.). Figure 5 shows the range.
Test your flash in a pool or clear shallow water. Move it from beside the lens to the side and compare backscatter.
Video lights follow the same rule. Place them wide and angled out, never beside the lens.
Cham tipFlash out and angled away, subject close.
Cham taskExplain backscatter in one sentence.
Check yourself: About how far does flash colour reach?
About 8 ft (2.4 m).
How do you photograph fish?
Short answer. Fish are shy. Use a short telephoto macro from a safe distance and approach slowly.
- Fish are among the most popular and most difficult subjects. They are skittish, but moving back adds water between lens and fish, which lowers sharpness, contrast and colour (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Figure 6 shows the trade-off.
- The authors favour a 100 to 105 mm macro lens, which gives a safe distance, and note that a 50 to 60 mm macro forces you in so close that the fish scoots away (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Table 1 summarises this.
- Approach slowly. In one example, a slow approach gave several close views of a yellow leaf fish (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
| Choice | Result |
|---|---|
| 105 mm macro | The authors' choice for fish: a safe distance, and still useful for small subjects such as nudibranchs |
| 50 to 60 mm macro | Popular on land, but you must get too close and the fish scoots away |
| Slow approach | Gives several close views of a shy fish |
Table 1. Lens choice for fish.
Practise on slow fish in a shallow reef or aquarium. Approach in a curve, not straight on, and shoot when the fish stops.
For video, a long lens and patience give the same safe distance. Let the fish enter your frame.
Cham tipSlow is smooth, and smooth is close.
Cham taskWrite the distance dilemma in two lines.
Check yourself: Why does moving back not solve the problem?
More water between lens and fish lowers sharpness, contrast and colour.
Which camera angle gives the best fish picture?
Short answer. Shoot level, not down, so the fish does not blend with the bottom.
- When you shoot down on a subject in ambient light, the subject may blend with the ocean floor. Shooting level in open water can give pleasing background tones (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Figure 7 compares the two.
- Shallower water gives more colour, and a closer shot shortens the light path (Scuba.com, n.d.).
- Control your buoyancy so that your fins and camera never touch coral or the bottom.
Photograph the same fish from above and from level. Compare how much of the fish separates from the background.
A level camera also feels like a character's eye line in a film, which draws the viewer into the fish's world.
Cham tipDrop to the fish's height.
Cham taskDraw the two angles from memory.
Check yourself: What happens when you shoot down on a subject?
It may blend with the ocean floor.
How do you set exposure with flash and look after the kit?
Short answer. Shoot, review, adjust, and wait for the flash to recharge.
- Digital makes underwater flash easy. The authors call it the SRA technique: shoot, review on the LCD, then adjust the f-stop, ISO or flash power (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005). Figure 8 shows the loop.
- A flash ready light often comes on at about 75 to 80 percent charge. Firing at once gives an underexposed picture, and waiting gives full power, so allow time or adjust (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
- Salt water is highly corrosive and can damage digital cameras. Test the housing for leaks before the first dive (Drafahl and Drafahl, 2005).
Run the shoot, review and adjust loop in a pool: five frames, changing one setting each time.
The loop is the same in video. Check the monitor, adjust, and shoot again before the real take.
Cham tipChange one thing at a time.
Cham taskWrite the three steps of SRA.
Check yourself: What does SRA stand for?
Shoot, review, adjust.
Which camera settings suit fish and underwater photography?
Short answer. Starting values for the ten settings, with links to the topic pages.
| Setting | Starting value |
|---|---|
| Camera | Body in a housing |
| Lens | Wide or macro lens with the matching port |
| Aperture | About f/8 |
| Shutter speed | Flash sync; review and adjust |
| ISO | Low; raise it for distant subjects |
| Metering | Manual; check the histogram after each test |
| Focus mode | Single (AF-S) |
| Focus area | Single point |
| Focus points | On the eye |
| AF-ON | Use the housing control if fitted |
Table 2. Starting camera settings for fish and underwater photography.
Write these ten settings on a card. Test them on one subject and record what you change.
For video, keep the same focus ideas and set the shutter speed from the frame rate.
Cham tipChange one setting at a time.
Cham taskWrite your ten settings for fish and underwater photography.
Check yourself: Which focus mode suits a moving subject?
Continuous focus.
Questions beginners ask
At what depth does red light disappear underwater?
Between about 3 m (10 ft) and 15 ft, depending on the source and the water. By 25 m only blue is left.
What is backscatter?
Floating particles lit by a flash, which look like snow in a snowstorm in the picture.
How far does underwater flash reach?
Flash impact usually dissipates beyond about 8 ft (2.4 m), so shoot closer.
What lens is best for fish photography?
The authors of one guide favour a 100 to 105 mm macro, which gives a safe distance from shy fish.
What is the best time of day for underwater photography?
Between 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun is overhead, in calm water.
References
- Scuba.com (n.d.) Understanding light for underwater photography. Available at: https://www.scuba.com/blog/understanding-light-for-underwater-photography/ (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- Drafahl, J. and Drafahl, S. (2005) Master guide for underwater digital photography. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
How to cite this guide. Alex, A., & Joseph, A. (2026). fish and underwater photography: A guide for photographers and cinematographers. Creative Hut Academy. https://creativehut.org/library/fish-and-underwater-photography/
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