I was to create a series of bubble bokeh images with different subjects and backgrounds. The idea was born, the concept was proven, and a plan was made. I took the background and the lights with me on my next dives and performed some test shots, spending almost an entire dive photographing a black hairy frogfish! This was the inspiration I needed – I immediately had the idea to put some additional lights behind the background to illuminate it from behind, which hopefully would create some bubbles in the bokeh of the shots. During a workshop in Lembeh, I met Sascha Janson, an underwater photography instructor who showed me a special, colourful background he had been experimenting with.Ī pair of clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) with bubble bokeh background The big question was how to create an artificial background that looks like the perfect bubbles formed above water. Unfortunately, the time frame to get these images is very short and finding a suitable subject in that limited time is difficult. Underwater, achieving the same effect is much more difficult, though it is possible at dawn and dusk when the sunlight hits the surface. Above water, these lenses perform very well with just the sunlight’s reflection in the distance. However, this makes it very hard to focus on the subject, such as the eyes of a fish, because the depth of focus is only a few millimetres thick.Īnother issue is finding the light to create the bubble bokeh underwater. The best and most intense bubbles can be produced when the lens is set to its biggest possible opening, which is usually f/2.8 for most lenses. Yellow leaf scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus), Bali, Indonesia The Meyer Görlitz Trioplan 100mm not only creates “bubbles”, but also forms a small ring on the outside of each bubble, which is extremely beautiful. Projector lenses come in different varieties and produce different bokeh effects. These lenses are great because they give a completely different look from the standard lenses that produce a smooth and simple background. The idea was to create different backgrounds for standard subjects with a so-called “bokeh”, which simply put is a type of blurred background. The idea for the bubble bokeh concept came to mind when I was experimenting with projector lenses. So how can we get new ideas or inspiration? This is actually the hardest but most creative part of underwater photography. A replicated style will not impress judges and viewers who have already seen similar images – the effect would simply not be the same. To win underwater photography competitions, copying the styles that others have created won’t win you first place. While this is wonderful in creating opportunities for aspiring photographers, a saturation in photo creativity has been reached, and finding fresh ideas has become difficult. With the technology available in today’s digital age, anyone can easily create stunning images by experimenting with camera settings and photo-editing software. Underwater photographers are constantly looking for new techniques and styles to impress. Backlit seahorse with bubble bokeh background
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