taking surfing photos

General Discussion
1

okay , these are just some semi-random thoughts , which I hope will help people …

[disclaimer…I don’t want to come across as some “know it all whacker” , these are just some observations / lessons learnt by me over the past from taking shots . I too have a long way to go towards being a good photographer . I’m still learning every time I pick up a camera.]

Anyway …without further ado…

  1. WATER SHOTS.…

  2. get in close ! [but don’t get in the way of the surfer , if possible , please !]. Try to “fill the frame” .

  3. watching for water droplets …spit on lens , or leave camera in the water till the last minute , to try to keep water droplets off . [Anyone else got some other hints on this too, please ?]

  4. swim fins… help with speed in getting into position

  5. a helmet [protects the melon a bit …learnt that one the hard way!]

  6. don’t take a board to the beach as well …you’ll end up surfing ! [yesterday morning , case in point for me]

  7. double check the settings , before putting the camera in the housing …[again , yesterday I didn’t. D’OH !!!]

  8. use a fast enough film for the light conditions [helps ‘freeze’ the action]

  9. ditto with the aperture and shutter , if the camera is adjustable

  10. try not to load / unload the camera on the beach …sand destroys them !

  11. when done , rewind the used film [yes , I HAVE put a film through the camera twice …not happy]

okay… all for now …

you other photographers out there … I’d love any input / lessons learnt by you , too …please feel free to contribute …no tip too “small” or “trivial”

 cheers !

ben chipper

I intend to get onto ‘land based photography’ later …

2

I’ll add apply the “normal” photography rules.

Remember the “rule of threes”. Try to place the visual focal point of your subject in the top or bottom third of the frame.

Consider framing in general.

Remember the sun. Avoid backlighting the subject, if you can. If there’s glare on the lens you can block it with your hand, without your hand being in the shot.

Wise investments in equipment can make a huge difference. For example a camera that can take burst of 3-50 shots over a short period of time gives you a better chance of picking up a good picture if used correctly (tho devlopment could be expensive).

That’s all that comes to mind for now.

3

Last summer I’ve tried that :

but it failed for two reasons :

  • no remote controle : all I could use was the 10 sec. timer

  • needs a wider angle (fisheye)0

4

Rubbing an apple on the lens will prevent water droplets… I forgot this and blew some fun pics this summer with big droplets on the lens. I’ll be bring my apples from now on.

5

Ben, First off, sorry I have not gotten you the article on Dale K. I still have not forgotten. I have just been slammed (with work).

Second, I have an easy cheap wide angle fix.

  1. Take a peep hole for a door.

  2. Drill a hole in a regular lense cap.

3 Glue / Epoxy the peep hole onto the front of the cap. I think the shorter the unit the better and easier to make a housing for.

  1. Seal off light around the edge of the cap with black gaff take or similar.

I have not tried this, but I know people who swear by it out of the water. In the water? Who knows. You would need a custom housing.

It gives almost 180 degree perspective of done correctly (I think). Your image will be circular with a black border.

Sorry if this has been brought up earlier.

Rob

6

always be sure that film loaded properly it’s better to waste one photo from deliberate checking than to waste a whole roll by messing up in loading

color film does not make black and white prints well it becomes muddy if you try to devolp your own pictures.

invest in quality equipment, remote controls are awesome

7

I used the anti fog glycerine stuff that came with my surf specs on the camera the other day Chip…

Don’t know how long it lasts but at least it was something…

You need something that breaks the water tension…

8

yeah that’s what the apple does, there’s parafan wax on the skin, and enough gets transfered from the apple to reduce the surface tension.

9

…but, doesn’t it smear your lens , ‘paraffin wax’ ??

[you want the lens / filter/ lens port as clear as possible, for taking GOOD watershots !]

ben

10

if i am snorkling i use baby shampoo on the goggles-might work for the lense too!

11

yeah if you like rubbed a bar of it on…

(I think…)but there’s just enough on the apple for electro static attraction to pull some of the wax molecules to the lens, and somewhat neutralizing the charge. Water’s really polar, so that’s why it sticks to alot, and if you can neutralize the charge of the lens, the water won’t stick to it.

like velcro. If you get the fuzzy side and rub a bunch of sand into it, then try to get the rough part to stick it doesen’t stick as well.

but…

Do you have a waterproof case for your camera or just a waterproof camera?

what camera are you using?

and what case then?

12

…the “wet and windy” one [appropriate , eh ? considering my current avatar , and signature …]

ben

13
Quote:

Ben, First off, sorry I have not gotten you the article on Dale K. I still have not forgotten. I have just been slammed (with work).

Second, I have an easy cheap wide angle fix.

  1. Take a peep hole for a door.

  2. Drill a hole in a regular lense cap.

3 Glue / Epoxy the peep hole onto the front of the cap. I think the shorter the unit the better and easier to make a housing for.

  1. Seal off light around the edge of the cap with black gaff take or similar.

I have not tried this, but I know people who swear by it out of the water. In the water? Who knows. You would need a custom housing.

It gives almost 180 degree perspective of done correctly (I think). Your image will be circular with a black border.

Sorry if this has been brought up earlier.

Rob

I’ve tried that and it did not work with my camera : the lens is way too large … I think it works only with numeric cameras (where the lens diameter is quite the same as the peep hole diameter)

14

A question and a thought; Do any of you know of sources for water housings for the most popular SLR type digital cameras currently being made by Cannon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Looking for something of good quality, but moderatly priced. Also for water droplets; Have any of you tried Rainex? Sold in autmotive shops. Used on windsheids. McDing

15

Ah, excellent questions both -

First, Rain-X; I have friends who have used it on the disposable Fuji waterproof cameras with good results. No real distortion or weird colors.

Next, digital camera housings ( for high end digital SLRs ) are most definitely out there, as they are for film SLRs. However, like the old line goes, you can have good or you can have cheap. Dunno that I would really want to put $2000+ worth of high-end digital camera in, for instance, one of those Ewa bags.

Though getting hold of an older Ikelite or similar housing for a fair sized film SLR, used, and adapting it to a digital might be a move. The more programmable cameras would probably be best for this, as there’s not likely to be a way to get at all the controls. And the rangefinding/autofocus arrangement may not do real well through a housing, so go to a high f-stop number for the best depth of field/focus you can get.

As would building one from scratch: the control components and such relatively easy to obtain, whittle a male mold out of foam and start your vaccum bag setup.

Option B - there are some relatively inexpensive digitals out there, notably from Canon, that claim to be waterproof. Note the italics - they don’t seem to hold up too well. The in-use reports I’m getting are along the line of a month’s life before they die.

Likewise some of the factory housings for inexpensive, shirt-pocket-size digitals. If it’s not rated for at least 100+ feet depth ( 5 ATM ) then I’d shine it on as a waste of money. Who knows what, for instance, Nikon will come out with in the next few years. The digital market is actually saturated, so they will be looking to branch out and add niche cameras.

Now, me, I’ve taken a different approach to my phototoys

hope that’s of use

doc…

16
Quote:

Have any of you tried Rainex? Sold in autmotive shops. Used on windsheids. McDing

I’ve considered using Rainex for a video camera housing but on the Rainex bottle it says not to use it on plastic. And the expensive sony housing is in plastic … I didn’t want to take the risk.

17

canon has waterproof cases for all their cameras on their site.