You don’t need a brand new, expensive camera to take good photos underwater. It helps, of course, but not everyone wants to make that kind of investment straight away and it’s not 100% necessary. These days waterproof plastic housings are available to fit most compact digital cameras, so can take your everyday camera into the sea or into a swimming pool with you. The right housing will seal up tight and it’ll give you access to all (or almost all) of the normal functions. It should still be possible to zoom and focus as normal.
That said, taking great shots underwater is a little trickier than it is on dry land. First off there is the movement of the water to contend with. Scuba divers can get around this by reducing buoyancy but for surfers and swimmers it’s not that easy. Part of the solution is becoming well practiced at snapping off quick, accurate shots, but you always can recruit a friend to help you stay steady.
Getting a clear image
Next comes visibility and dealing with what underwater photography pros call backscatter. Perfectly clear water is pretty rare in rivers, lakes, and the sea. Sometimes it may look nice and clear but your photos will come out covered in tiny white flecks. This is the dreaded backscatter. The little white dots are caused by light reflecting off tiny debris in the water and bouncing back at the camera lens.
There are two ways of dealing with backscatter. The first is to reduce the amount of water between you and the photo subject. Try taking macro close-ups rather than wide shots. There is an extra advantage here- shooting through a lot of water often washes out colors, so staying close in will give you brighter, more vivid photos.
The second way to get rid of backscatter is to use an external flash or strobe. Good camera housings allow for these and you can also use them above the water line. An external strobe lets you play with shadow angles and create all kinds of interesting texture effects both underwater and on land. If you’re using one to reduce backscatter, position it above the camera or to one side. Aim it just off the subject, not straight at it. This will mean the reflected light doesn’t come back and hit your lens.
If there is enough light and the water is clear it’s often better to turn off the flash altogether. There will be less backscatter and you won’t have problems with ‘hotspots’ caused by shiny, reflective fish and bright white objects.
Camera tips
Using a camera housing can feel clumsy and awkward at first. It’s always a good idea to practice above water until you get the hand of it. Try taking some normal photos with the housing in place to get a feel for it. Make sure the plastic case and seals are perfectly clean before putting the camera in and use a fresh memory card and batteries. If you run out of space or power underwater there is no way to switch cards or put in new batteries without coming back onto land.
As with all photography, the best advice to any beginner is to experiment. Good subjects are easy to find in the unfamiliar underwater world. Play with camera settings, try different angles, use an external flash if you have one, and see what you can come up with!
Jess Spate writes for an 
