420 Dive Log Australasia OCTOBER 2026

the camera. It gives me a more useful preview underwater and a better base for editing. When I photograph in JPEG, accurate in camera white balance becomes far more important because the file contains less colour information and allows less aggressive correction afterwards. I frequently use short sequential bursts because marine animals rarely hold an ideal position. Eyes move, fins overlap, tentacles change shape and interesting behaviour may last only a fraction of a second. A short sequence increases the chance that one frame will contain the right combination of focus, posture and composition. This can mean returning from a dive with several hundred photographs, but I accept the additional sorting. I would rather examine a sequence afterwards and find a few strong frames than rely on one exposure made a fraction of a second too early or too late. Burst mode does not replace careful focusing. Before beginning a sequence, I half-press the shutter and give the camera time to confirm focus. Lighting changes according to the subject and the photograph I am trying to create. During the day, ambient light may be enough for larger animals, silhouettes, reef scenes and images in which the surrounding water remains part of the composition. I add strobes when I want to restore foreground colour, reveal detail or separate the subject from a darker background. suspended material between the camera and the subject. My first defence is proximity: the closer I am, the smaller the volume of water— and the fewer suspended particles—the camera must photograph through. Strobe position matters as well. I do not aim the strobes directly forwards. Instead, I place them farther from the lens and angle them slightly outwards. My aim is to illuminate the subject with the softer edge of each beam without lighting the water directly in front of the port. The correct position changes with subject size and working distance. I assess the first photographs and adjust the strobes instead of assuming one position will work for the entire Strobes introduce their own challenges. Backscatter comes from light striking

dive. In silty or plankton-rich water, increasing the power may make the problem worse by illuminating more suspended material. Moving closer, reducing the power, changing the strobe angle or relying more heavily on ambient light can produce a cleaner image. Another practical problem capable of ruining an entire dive is condensation inside the housing. Fog usually develops when warm, humid air becomes trapped inside and then cools rapidly after the camera enters colder water. I assemble the rig in the driest environment available, making sure the camera, housing, sealing surfaces and my hands are completely dry. I only open the housing or work on the camera in an air-conditioned room. Whenever possible, I avoid opening and closing the housing beside the water, in a damp area of a boat or anywhere exposed to direct spray. I use a clean, dry anti-fog insert positioned where it cannot interfere with the controls or seal, and I inspect the O-ring and its groove for sand, hair This is probably the smallest critter I’ve ever photo graphed — Doriopsilla carneola, a dorid nudibranch roughly 5 mm long. It’s probably just a baby, as adults of this species can grow up to about 50 mm. This tiny nudi branch wandered across the sand until it reached a Bis cuit Star (Tosia magnifica, about 9 cm in size). A mode, AF Super Macro with x4 optical zoom.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #420 October’ 26

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