What is causing this?

[bluga 0]

There're many "dots" on this photo, what is causing this and how can I prevent it? Thanks!

[Photobeat 0]

Don't take pictures throught the glass as sea parks or aquariums with your flash on? - that's what the pic looks like.

 

Half joking, If you were underwater seems like you did not need flash so that lit up all the junk in the water. Use fill flash from the side on long arms if you need it. From the exposure in background looks like the strobe fired and wasn't really needed or was too hot, thus lighting up all the particles and junk.

 

So to sum up - meter and use flash power appropriatley and have strobes fire from more of an angle on the side of the lens.

[acroporas 0]

Here is what happened.

You used the built in flash of your camera. The light from the internal flash bounced off of particles in the water and was reflected back into the camera. Because there is very little red light naturally occurring underwater, your camera compensates this by increasing the sensitivity to red light to mimic what your brain does. But since the light from your flash has a normal amount of red light in it, when the camera increases the sensitivity to red, the flash light looks red.

 

To avoid this.

 

Do not use the internal flash unless you are closer than 12" from your subject. For distances greater than 12" but less than 36" use external strobes mounted far away from camera. For distances greater than 36" do not use any flash at all.

[bluga 0]

Thanks guys, I should have explained better.

 

This was NOT taken with any flash, and this was in open water (Galapagos).

 

Below is another photo in the same place (almost same time) but there're no "dots" (backscatter?) in the picture.

 

Could the stirring of water particles by the sea lion caused this? Since they are playing like crazy and the water is murky.

 

Thanks!

[anthp 0]

Could it be that the first image is shot into the sun and the sun is picking up particles in the water? It also looks like it could be bubbles forming on the front of your lens and this may be causing the backscatter. Do you have many other photos from the same shoot we could use to help diagnose the problem?

[james 0]

Yes, the sun can make backscatter.

 

Cheers

James

[davephdv 0]

First shot looks to me like spots or bubbles on your lens/dome port.

[bluga 0]

Here are two more photos taken at the same place, one with tons of "dots" and one without.

[Wahoo 0]

Were these pictures from film or digital? I've seen spots like this that I could only attribute to bubbles on the film during processing.

[anthp 0]

I'm still going with my original guess of bubbles on/close-to the lens and backlighting.

[Photobeat 0]

With that information then it is obvious you are shooting into the sun, notice the sea lion without the backscatter the face is lit nicely as the sun is on the side or behind you. Notice the other shots are brighter in the background and the foreground a little darker. So careful when shooting into the sun. There is always crap floating in the water even in great conditions. Shallow water with a bright sun in front of the lens will give you the snowy look.

[subpilotpaul 0]

I just went through a very similar problem. It seemed like there was backscatter even though the water was very clear. I cleaned the port over and over with different glass cleaners but kept getting the same problem. Finally I used soapy distilled water and gave it a good cleaning and rinse and that seemed to take care of it.