Underwater Photography

Another interesting and rather challenging type of photography is underwater photography. This can include a variety of many different subjects, but I think the most striking and interesting underwater pictures are those where the subject is coral reefs. This is because it will capture the immense biodiversity and beautiful array of colors. The article I have linked below explains how he does "reefscape"  photography.

He first recommends the use of a wide-angle fisheye lens. He recommends this because in an underwater scene it is rare that you find straight lines, therefore you do not have to worry as much about strange distortion around the outer areas of the image as you would with landscape photography. He also says rectilinear lenses can have issues with sharpness around the edges and that you will not get as wid of a horizontal field of view. He says to just use natural light and have it behind you since most reefs are shallow. Manually set your white balance using some white slate such as the sand and to shoot in the morning or afternoon for the best lighting. For settings, he recommends a somewhat fast shutter speed, an aperture higher than f/8 for a wide depth of field and adjust iso accordingly considering how much light is coming through at that depth. He talks about how you can use thee ripples/waves creating interesting lighting effects or go on a very calm day to capture a reflection off the surface of the water or to capture what's above the water such as the clouds. He says that the colors can contrast very well with the blue of the surrounding ocean, so that could be your backdrop. Reefs can have colors that are distracting according to the rules of dominance such as reds and oranges, it is definitely something you will have to keep in mind. Another tip was to keep things such as boats, snorkelers, and other divers out of the frame because since they are out of place in that scene, they will be distracting. Photographing coral reefs can make for some beautiful pictures, but can also be challenging for the reasons I previously mentioned, not to mention being able to scuba dive to even attempt these shots. 

https://www.sportdiver.com/photography-tips-coral-reefs