Filters in Underwater Archaeology

Augusto Salgado · Issue 98, Sep/Oct 2017 · pp. 52–55

Products mentioned: Magic Filters, Nikon D300, Nikon D7100, Tokina 10-17mm, Sealux Housing, Hugyfot Housing, Inon Z240 Strobe, TigerFish slave trigger, Canon G12

In underwater archaeology, unlike when we are doing underwater photography for pleasure, we just cannot go searching for a better spot or other subject to take a photo. Wrecks and artefacts lay where they are, and we are not supposed to move them from one place to another. So, we have to adopt our tools to achieve our aims. Even for those not directly linked to underwater archaeology, it is easy to understand that photography is a very important tool for this activity. The photography can be used for several reasons and to achieve different aims. Either we want to photograph an artefact in situ, or we want to “transport” the viewer to where we were doing our work. Nowadays, we can also use photography in order to obtain 3D images of the objects, from a coin to a full wreck. A major part of the underwater heritage campaigns that I do, with the Portuguese Navy Research Centre, are conducte…