Working the subject

Michael Gallagher · Issue 58, Jan/Feb 2011 · pp. 50–52

Products mentioned: Canon 50D, 60mm macro lens, Hugyfot housing, Ikelite DS-125 strobes

As I’ve strived to improve my underwater photography over the past few years, I’ve come to realise just how important two things are - firstly, good subject selection, and then secondly, what you do with that special subject once you find it. I have enjoyed a good number of dives with camera in hand, marvelling at all manner of wonderful marine creatures without taking a single shot, often to the bemusement of other photographers who return to the boat having bagged a shot of most things they saw on the dive. My philosophy behind this is simple - whenever I see anything underwater, I make an immediate assessment of whether I can take a good photograph of it or not. This depends on a number of things including the subject’s distance away from me, its position on the reef, its general demeanour, what lens/strobe combination I’ve selected for that particular dive, and other different factor…