This is our first ever underwater prenup photoshoot. Because of my ability to sink and hold my breath underwater, i was the one who shot these. At first we had the photoshoot at the beach. However, we find it really difficult to produce great shots due to poor visibility. It was almost 6PM so were losing precious light and to add to that challenge, we have to endure the cold wind, strong waves, rocky ground, and the salty water that makes it harder for us to sink and open our eyes under water. It's my first time to use the camera and i have to be creative in making the shot. The initial photos were kind of a disaster.
And because of that, we learned that we really have to schedule another photoshoot. We went to Garden Orchid Hotel, which will be the venue of their reception, and had the photoshoot session at their pool. We started almost 11AM and the sun was shining brightly above us. We have good weather and nice lighting. The water was not as pure as i expected but it was way better than the sea. In this setup, our eyes and feet don't have to suffer anymore. We can fully control the environment and we have so much time to produce creative shots.
By the way, the camera was provided by the couple since we dont have an underwater camera or a waterproof case for our DSLR camera. The underwater camera we used is an HD point and shoot Fuji FinePix. The photos came out okay but because of the color of the water, the photos were very bluish/cyanic. But no worries, we have photoshop and lightroom to enhance them. :D I really like the ethereal quality of the underwater photography. I love how the way the cloth flows and the body seems to be weightless and so relaxed. All in all, It was such a fun and productive shoot. There are so much things that can be improved but i learned so much in this shoot.
Here are seven important things to consider if you want to try underwater photography. 1. Location: The best location is a clean, freshly-filled pool. No chlorine, if possible. 2. Light: More light means better picture. If you want natural light, the best time is 10AM-2PM. If you want a black background, use artificial lights. 3. Protection: Protect you eyes by using goggles. If you can afford, rent scuba gears to breathe underwater. 4. Peg: Prepare your pegs so the client/subject/model will have an idea on how to pose and project. Have an assistant to show the pegs once in a while. 5. Prepare Physically: Be sure you know how to swim. At first, it will be very difficult trying to sink and hold your breathe underwater so do some breathing exercises before shooting. Be aware of your surrounding and don't force yourself to stay underwater for too long. We don't want to drown, right? 6. Be creative: Use props, modify the setting, and prepare different outfits to have a wide variety of shots. 7. Have fun :D