12 replies to this topic

[bighead]

I like the blues seen on some wide angle photographs. Other than metering, what are the other options avaliable to get that perfect blue ?? I hv read somewhere to placed filters on the strobes, color of filters depending on models.

[pxguru]

I wouldn't say that filters on strobes will do anything to the water! Strobes will illuminate a subject and filters can correct/adjust colour temperatures from different models of strobes to ensure that the subject's illumination is what you want.

As for "blue" water, thats a simple matter of adjusting apeture and shutter speed to reduce the amount of ambient light flitering down through the water until you get the effect you desire. Take a few test shots when you first go down, establish the blue background that pleases you and then stick to that basic setting - try to shoot upwards too.

Good luck.

[Balrog]

The warmer strobes such as Ike will tend to give a richer blue and I have seen many fit light straw colour filters over the cooler strobes such as Inons.

As pxguru says the blue is down to exposure control. Select the aperture that will best suit your combination of strobe range, dof, lens sweet spot etc then use shutter speed to control the ambient light exposure of the blue.
If you have significant surface light or a sunball, stop down and up the strobe power or you will likely exceed your shutter sync speed.

Edited by Balrog, 10 August 2010 - 12:03 AM.

[Alex_Mustard]

An older article, in need of updating, but still useful info:
http://www.amustard....=...news&size=s

Alex

[bighead]

Thxs everyone for their input ...

Alex, thxs for the article ... it has more information that what I had read elsewhere ... I am using a pair of z240s, which means I need to warm the strobes abit to render bluer blues. What kind of gels are avaliable in photographic stores ??

[Alex_Mustard]

Alex, thxs for the article ... it has more information that what I had read elsewhere ... I am using a pair of z240s, which means I need to warm the strobes abit to render bluer blues. What kind of gels are avaliable in photographic stores ??

Very little in photo stores. You need to get the lighting gels from Film/TV/Theatre lighting companies. They are very cheap - just requires a bit of googling in your area to find them.

But as the other guys have said filters are just part of the solution. You still need to find the right conditions, read the light correctly and get your exposure spot on.

Probably the biggest failing I see in underwater photography on digital is backgrounds washed out of colour. It happens because people don't get their exposures right. A common cause is that they do not get enough strobe on the subject and then (in post processing) have to lighten the image (to see detail) and white balance the shot (to get the colours on the subject). Both of these factors cause the background water colour to wash out. And like I said, it is widespread and probably the biggest failing in many UW images these days.

Alex

[bighead]

Thxs Alex, I will find it out at the lighting stores.

[Aussiebyron]

I believe the Inon's have a colour temp of 5500k and the Ikelites have a temp of 4800k. Have you tried shooting in RAW and then adjusting the temp in Photoshop? I shoot with Ikelites and happy with the warmer colour is produces verses the cooler more blue light the Inon's put out.

Regards Mark

[Undertow]

I believe the Inon's have a colour temp of 5500k and the Ikelites have a temp of 4800k. Have you tried shooting in RAW and then adjusting the temp in Photoshop? I shoot with Ikelites and happy with the warmer colour is produces verses the cooler more blue light the Inon's put out.

Regards Mark

if you adjust the temp in photoshop it will also cool down the colour from the strobes, making the subject too blue. i've used 1/2 CTO gels on my inon's which bring the colour temp into the ikelite strobe's range. cheers,

chris

[jlyle]

Underexpose your images! If you shoot in aperture or shutter priority, set the camera's exposure to -2.0EV. If you are shooting manually, adjust aperture/speed to get -2.0EV. Your strobes light the foreground. Background water color isn't affected by the strobes.

[aussie]

Underexpose your images! If you shoot in aperture or shutter priority, set the camera's exposure to -2.0EV. If you are shooting manually, adjust aperture/speed to get -2.0EV. Your strobes light the foreground. Background water color isn't affected by the strobes.

The White balance you use is affected by the strobe colour, as you need to adjust it correctly for what your strobes lightup in the foreground. Therefore it will effect the colour of your blue background.

Mark, changing White balance in post will affect the whole image, foreground and background, so not ideal.

Ryan.

[jlyle]

Mark, changing White balance in post will affect the whole image, foreground and background, so not ideal.
Ryan.

Another reason to try not to have to post process! "Cloudy" works just fine on my camera for WB.

[Aussiebyron]

Another reason why I shoot with Ikelite strobes

Regards Mark