Underwater Photography

Underwater photography is the art of taking pictures underwater. It's a very interesting and fun genre of photography and one that can be extremely rewarding to the photographer. Many underwater photographers take pictures for the sake of research or education of animal and plant life, and the photographer's contribution to science is as much appreciated as his or her talent for capturing the beauty of the water world on film.

The underwater photographer needs a special underwater camera to perform the function. For the amateur photographer, there are disposable underwater cameras meant for capturing things in shallow water. For the more experienced underwater photographer, there are some very advanced types of underwater camera models meant for deep diving. The premise for each camera is the same, in that each is enclosed in a hard plastic, waterproof case that protects the camera from any water damage.

Underwater photography now encompasses both digital and conventional film photography - although the lack of light available underwater is a major logistical problem for both forms of photography. The deeper the photographer goes, the less sunlight there is available to light the subjects. A flash is almost always necessary in underwater photography.