underwater pool shot

[LifeIsGreatImages]

Today a friend sent me gorgeous images from a scuba diving trip in the Carribean: coral, sponge, many colored fish, etc.
Makes me embarassed to post my point and shoot underwater image taken here in Montana.
Because of ear pressure problems I decided scuba diving is not my sport and I'll stick to snorkeling on my vacations. Hence, I bought just a point and shoot waterproof Pentax Optio W-10 and tested it in an indoor pool.
My lesson learned is that it is harder than it looks, with the model moving, the photographer moving, the mask fogging up and the LCD screen limiting .... but kind of a fun experiment and the model wants to come back for a second try.
As a real "garage glamour" member, most of my stuff is assembled in my garage from scrap lumber and ordinary lights.
Suggestions?

[Olli]

In U/W photography closer is usually better, to reduce the amount of water (and particulate) between you and the subject. This is where wide angle lenses and dome ports really help. Keep your zoom at it's widest angle. In your photo I suspect shutter speed is too slow. Not familiar with your camera, but I would try locking in your shutter speed at at least 1/125 sec. Pick a bright sunny day, or bump up your ASA. Also minimize your motion. Take lots of pictures, and good luck.
For some great swimming pool shots take a look at the work of Howard Schatz.
http://www.howardschatz.com/

[ARTFORMS]

Originally Posted by LifeIsGreatImages

Today a friend sent me gorgeous images from a scuba diving trip in the Carribean: coral, sponge, many colored fish, etc.
Makes me embarassed to post my point and shoot underwater image taken here in Montana.
Because of ear pressure problems I decided scuba diving is not my sport and I'll stick to snorkeling on my vacations. Hence, I bought just a point and shoot waterproof Pentax Optio W-10 and tested it in an indoor pool.
My lesson learned is that it is harder than it looks, with the model moving, the photographer moving, the mask fogging up and the LCD screen limiting .... but kind of a fun experiment and the model wants to come back for a second try.
As a real "garage glamour" member, most of my stuff is assembled in my garage from scrap lumber and ordinary lights.
Suggestions?

Your picture appears to be out of focus due to slow shutter speed or camera
movement. If you had more outdoor light to enable faster shutter speeds it
could have helped, but I don't know what your lighting situation was.
.

.
Jim

[LifeIsGreatImages]

Thanks.
I looked at all the images on the site you recommended. On a relative scale that photographer seems a 99.8 and I'm a 1. But it points me in the right direction.
I am limited in not having an outdoor pool with bright sunlight. I live in the Rockies at over 5,000 feet where we have Olympic class downhill skiing and recently a tough local ice hockey team but almost no private outdoor pools. So I'm limited to a friend's incdoor pool with dark wood roof and walls. My only hope for light is a bright day with sun through the west windows into the shallow end of the pool.
There are also not many scuba divers up here in the Rockies, but if I did find one who had a camera with a flash set up, I'm afraid what I'd get would be well lit underwater snapshots.
The model wants to shoot again and a couple others are interested so I think I'll try more in the shallower, more sunlight area and try for a higher film speed and also adjust the ISO as you suggested.
Gives me a goal and that makes it fun.
Thanks again.

[LifeIsGreatImages]

Thanks for the second comment and excellent example.

It gives me encouragement.

Steve

[LifeIsGreatImages]

P.s. If I had to choose between slow shutter speed and camera movement, I'd say both!