If you’ve ever tried to photograph a person underwater, you know how important crystal clear water is to producing usable images. I do most of my underwater photography in Georgian Bay which is exceptionally clean and clear. It’s also freezing cold, and far away from urban areas – which complicates the logistics required to produce a commercial photography session (it’s a 3 or 4 hour drive for me and most models, stylists, make up artists etc. and there is a window of about two weeks in August when it’s warm enough to swim without a wet suit). However, I live right beside Lake Ontario (which is not exactly known for being clean or clear), so I thought I’d try an underwater photography session here – with easy access to talent from Toronto. In this article I will share a few of my tips and tricks for underwater photography in murky water.
This session was photographed just off the seawall at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The water is about six to eight feet deep at the wall and then gradually drops off. The bottom is a mix of large rocks covered with marine growth and course sand. It was a bright sunny day with a little bit of chop on the lake – but not enough to really stir up much silt.
Underwater models who can pose and look natural underwater are quite hard to find – underwater modeling is much more difficult than it looks. I was really happy with the poise and grace that models Eva Mok and Vlad Toma brought to this session. Although I have quite a bit of experience with commercial underwater photography, I had no idea what to expect when we jumped into the lake. This was a new location with a bit of a new approach for me. Despite the challenges, I’m really happy with how the final images turned out – I think that the murky water adds a really cool dreamy feel to the series that would not have been possible to capture any other way.
However there are definitely a few thinks to keep in mind if you want try something similar.
Now Try It Yourself!
Now Try It Yourself!
Have you tried underwater photography in a situation where the water was a little murky? How did it turn out? What would you do differently? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!
