:: 06. Wide Angle Shots

The first thing to master with wide angle shots is how to get the water to appear a beautiful blue color. As mentioned previously, the standard auto white balance setting on a digital camera tries to correct red-tinged light or blue-toned light to a uniform white color. In the underwater setting, however, the blue is corrected to the point where it washes out and the pretty ocean color is gone from your images. ItÍs important to set the white balance to a manual setting.

When you are snorkeling or close to the surface, set the white balance to Daylight for best results to capture the light as it appears to the human eye.
If you are using a flash to shoot a wide angle shot, the flash gives off light that is close in color to sunlight, so use the ñDaylightî setting in this case too.

Since blue tones are stronger in deep water than on land, move toward a setting that reduces blue: select the Cloudy setting.

How to Achieve Good Results with the Auto White Balance Function

There are some scenes that can be captured well using the auto white balance function without resorting to a manual setting. These are typically compositions in which a black or white object can be clearly distinguished. A white object, for example, might be the sun as seen from beneath the water or the white wetsuit of another diver that is very close to you. A black object might be the bottom of a boat floating on the surface, a cave's shadow shot from the inside looking out, or the black portion of a very near diverÍs equipment.

Using the auto white balance in this fashion may occasionally result in over-correction and washed-out blues at deeper depths. In that case, just switch to the manual Cloudy setting.

Effective Exposure Compensation

ou may get an image with flat, washed-out blues if you are photographing at deeper depths, the subject is a fairly distant diver with only water around, or you are attempting to shoot a large formation that is so far away that even your eyes can detect a blue tone to the light. This is caused by light conditions that are too far removed from conditions on land for the cameraÍs auto exposure (AE) function to respond adequately. As a result, the image is overexposed.
You can solve the problem of an overly bright image in many cases by setting the exposure compensation to a setting in the negative range from - step to -1 steps.
     If your camera is equipped with the auto exposure bracket (AEB) function, you can correct the situation easily without having to manually set and test the exposure compensation settings one by one. Although there is a limitation that the flash canÍt be used with the AEB function, this function automatically shoots a series of pictures with a range of exposure settings, making it easy to use.
     We recommend that you set the AEB function within the range of ± step. Then, you should also set the AE function to - step. The AEB function will shoot three images at - step, -1 steps, and 0 steps relative to the AE function's - step, achieving the corrective results recommended above in a single step. All you have to do when you return to land is select which picture you wish to keep.

Techniques for Photographing Large Subjects

Aetting the zoom to a wide angle is not just for shooting land formations and divers; it is effective for photographing large fish and schools of fish. There is a general rule for shooting the likes of giant manta rays, turtles and schools of fish such as Japanese horse mackerel. Do not make sudden quick movements, do not attempt to touch the subject, and whenever possible, do not photograph them from above.

If you anticipate a manta rayÍs circling movements and wait close to where it will pass by, it may swim by within an armÍs reach. Similarly, you can enter right into the middle of a school of horse mackerel swimming in a current if you first position yourself directly below and slowly work your way upward. To get close to fish in their world, the trick is to move and act so that fish do not perceive you as a threat to themselves but simply think of you as just another slow-moving fish.

Photographing dolphins and porpoises depends upon the animalsÍ mood at the time, but if you avoid chasing after them and swim in a funny manner to attract their attention, they will be curious and are likely to come closer to investigate. Needless to say, do not try to touch them. That is the etiquette when you enter the world of fish.

Setting the White Balance	Get Low to Shoot
Set the white balance according to your depth in the water to either Daylight or Cloudy to obtain a beautiful blue.	To photograph big fish or schools of fish, a good technique is to slowly approach from below the fishesÍ eye level and to avoid sudden movements. If you observe this cardinal rule, you can find yourself surrounded by dynamic, swirling schools of fish.
Photographing Schools of Fish	Photographing Large Subjects
The key to photographing a school of fish is to artfully show its shape. If a school is circling in a current, shoot a portion that shows the shape of the current. Gradually come closer by rising up slowly from beneath and use the photo opportunity when you reach the middle.	Avoid the built-in flash when photographing large fish under most conditions, it is liable to cause the marine snow phenomenon. Instead, use the continuous shooting mode to take multiple images. The flash can be successfully used, however, if a fish approaches very close.
Photographing Underwater Formations
One tip for shots of underwater formations, such as caves, is to add light or people to the composition. For example, aiming upward from a cave formation to the sky to purposely silhouette it causes the beholders to exercise their imaginations about the unseen portion. It is also good to include a diver for a comparison of size

This section has been extracted from Canon Japan on how to prepare your digital investment.

http://www.canon.com/copyright.html