Adding Luminance to Fluo Photography

Steve Miller · Issue 91, Jul/Aug 2016 · pp. 45–49

Products mentioned: Ikelite DS strobes, Gamma lights, dichroic filters, yellow barrier filter

Among the primary attractions of night diving are the colors. At first, this statement may seem counter intuitive, as the reef is cloaked in darkness. Sunlight may reveal the broader vistas of the underwater realm, but as any underwater photographer can tell you, it does not render the full spectrum of colors, as red, orange and yellow wavelengths are lost even at relatively shallow depths. This changes at night. When we carry high-powered artificial lights, all wavelengths and colors are restored, making the reef look like a different place, this time vibrating with warm colors. The ability to control the light source opens up a wealth of creative possibilities. A prime example of this is the growing popularity of the phenomenon known as fluo diving, which exposes the unique florescent characteristics of certain animals and corals in glowing, neon-like hues reminiscent of the black ligh…