PHOTO TECHNIQUE
BE THE CHAMP!
‘The mostcommon problemwhen photographingpeople on wrecksis being able tosee them properly’
Just because wrecks don’t move about much, nobody ever said it would be easy to photograph them! But where there are problems there are solutions, and as usual ALEX MUSTARD has no shortage of those to share
WRECKS ARE, for many divers, our favourite place underwater. They can be atmospheric, packed with marine life, loaded with history and offer a complex three-dimensional environment to explore. They are also a fantastic place for photography.
It’s a mistake to think that just because they don’t move they are one of the easier underwater subjects to shoot - they are not.
Far more good photos are taken of those infuriatingly tiny macro critters each year than are taken of wrecks.
That’s something I’ve always thought was a pity and definitely a failing of underwater photographers, because wrecks are so beloved by the wider diving community.
It’s one of the reasons that I’m so proud that we have a dedicated wreck photography category each year in the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest. Yes, it’s that time again to put your best pictures forward (see page 6)!
The good news is that wrecks offer us many different images, from large vistas of recognisable features such as the bow or the stern, to detailed close-ups of the life living on them.