Hi SD fans, and welcome back. Nothing lifts an underwater photograph more than including
the presence of a model or two. What was once a fairly mundane reef shot can be transformed
into an eye-catching tableau by careful positioning of a diver, and that standard prop-on-a-wreck
image can take on a whole new dimension, not to mention a sense of scale, by the inclusion
of a model alongside the main subject. However, just chucking a diver into the frame
is not going to have the impact you want, and I’ll be sharing some handy hints gleaned
from years of editing dive magazines as to how to make the most of your underwater model.
For those here for the first time, my name is Mark, I am the editor-in-chief of the Scuba
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You will find dive magazines such as Scuba Diver littered with images that feature divers
modelling on a reef, on a wall, with marine life, in a wreck, and son, and this is because
it helps readers really conjure up the ‘that could be me’ feeling as they read the accompanying
article. Sitting in an office or at home when the rain is hammering down outside, seeing
a vibrant coral reef with a diver cruising alongside a turtle, for instance, can lift
the spirits and provide a bit of inspiration for planning your next exotic diving adventure,
even more so at the moment as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I have spoken to many keen underwater photographers both here in the UK and when on assignment
abroad, and it seems that there is a distinct split when it comes to modelling, and who
thinks they should be attempting such shots. Far too many times I hear people using compact
point-and-shoots say that such images are solely the realm of DSLR or intermediate interchangeable-lens
camera users, but nothing could be farther from the truth. With a little bit of forward
planning and shot discussion with your model-to-be, there is no reason why you cannot produce
magazine-style images with even the most-basic of underwater cameras. It is all about composition,
body position, eye-contact and so on – here’s some handy hints and advice on what you can
do to make your model shots something you can be proud to show off to your friends and
family.
Let’s start with the perfect model So, first off, who makes the perfect model?
Well, ideally, you want somebody who has impeccable buoyancy control (so they can hold the perfect
position in the shot), incredible amounts of patience (so they don’t lose their temper
when you ask them to repeat a manoeuvre for the umpteenth time), and the ability to take
direction (so they know what the hell you are indicating when you are waving your hands
around). I am lucky in that when I travel on assignment
alone, I can generally wangle an off-duty or spare Divemaster or instructor to be my
buddy-cum-model. DMs and instructors make great models, as because it is their job,
they have the buoyancy side of things down pat and come ready-equipped with lots of patience.
I will storyboard some shots and ideas with them pre-dive, so they know what to expect
when it comes to hand signals and gestures, and then take it from there. It generally
works well, though as with all things, some are better than others, and those who are
also avid underwater photographers usually make superior models, as they innately know
where to pose for the shot, as that is where they would place a model if they were the
shooter. However, it makes things much easier when
I am travelling with a ‘professional model’, such as my wife Penney, who has accompanied
me on many dive trips over the past 20-odd years, or my good friend and dive instructor
Lynn Bean. Both of them have served as models extensively in a range of waters, from temperate
to tropical, and when you work with people on a regular basis like this, it makes the
whole model-photographer relationship work a lot easier as you start to know what the
other person is thinking. I’ve even roped Scuba Diver co-founder Ross Arnold into modelling
duties when we are away diving together. If you have a regular buddy, be that a spouse,
relative or good friend, then start to mould them into your perfect model. You are going
to be diving together anyway, so you might as well make the most of their presence in
the water, and from their point of view, being a model is a surefire way to improve their
buoyancy and general in-water control. Plus, once you get going and they know what sort
of natural props (coral outcrops, sponges) you are attracted to, they can also keep an
eye out for potential subject matter.
Next up - eye contact For me, one of the first things I try to eliminate
from shots with models is direct eye contact with the camera. Personally, I think this
reduces what could have been a classic magazine shot into a holiday snap, especially if the
diver is posing next to an interesting subject. Why would the diver be looking straight at
the camera if they had clownfish doing cartwheels, or a turtle chomping on a sponge, right in
front of them? I always try to get my models to look at the main subject of the image,
whatever it might be, and then position myself in such a way that I can still see their eyes,
so that the photograph then ‘tells a story’ in itself, ie. here’s a diver on the reef
checking out a family of clownfish. If no subject presents itself, or you have
your model doing something, such as exiting a wreck or swimming along a sheer wall, then
get them to look into the distance, so that the viewer is left wondering what they are
looking at that is out-of-shot. I tell my models to look a metre or so above and to
the side of me, so that I can still get their eyes clearly in the photograph.
However, as with all things, this is more of a personal guideline than a rule. There
have been times when direct eye contact worked well, but by-and-large, I stand by the ‘look
at the subject, not at the camera’ pose. Be careful, though - if your model gets too
close to the subject, or turns their head too sharply, you will not be able to see their
eyes and just get a reflection on the mask lens, which seriously reduces the impact of
the shot.
Mask choice Closely linked to the eye contact tip comes
mask choice. I love my black-skirted twin-lens mask, but it is a royal pain for anyone wanting
to use me as a model. Because I am acutely aware of the limitations of black masks, I
know what angle and where to look to give them the best chance to capture my eyes, but
to give yourself an easier time, get your model to wear either a clear frameless mask
or, as I have discovered, a white frameless mask. There are also a host of vibrantly-coloured
frameless masks now on the market too. The large low-profile single lens design means
you can easily see their eyes, and the brightly coloured or transparent skirts only help put
the focus on the model’s face. Masks such as the Oceanic Shadow Ice, Atomic Aquatics
Frameless (in clear), Beuchat MaxLux S and Apeks VX1 make perfect model masks. Many photographers
I know carry one of these masks with them on all their trips, so that they can get their
model to wear it instead of their normal mask.
Get a sense of scale We’ve all had it happen. We find ourselves
confronted with a monumental beast underwater - be that a giant whale, whopping big shark,
humongous turtle or, at the opposite end of the scale, a monster nudibranch - and hastily
fire away, eager to get proof of our epic encounter with a creature from the deep. And
what happens? We show the photographs to our peers and are met with scornful looks, accompanied
by comments such as ‘it doesn’t look that big’ or ‘it was probably only a metre
long’ (which would be pretty impressive if it was a nudibranch, but is the remark
usually levelled at shark shots). This is an awkward one - we know how big our subject
was, but a critter taken against a blue-water background, or even with a reef behind, doesn’t
allow the viewer to glean how big it actually was. Hence you need to add something that
will give your main subject a true sense of scale - enter, your trusty model!
Example: The propeller on a ship is a magnet for underwater snappers, but these can vary
in size from relatively small to absolute giants. I endeavour to get my model alongside
the prop and/or the rudder so that, at a glance, people looking at the shot can get an instant
sense of the sheer size of the wreck. Looking at a shot of a stern alone, it is difficult
to appreciate how big it actually is - it could be a dinky motor cruiser. However, a
photograph with the model alongside the hull really gives the image a much-needed sense
of scale, as well as adding to the picture as a whole.
The same goes for animal shots. This giant moray eel was hanging out of a wall on the
house reef of Filitheyo in the Maldives. The eel was just chilling out, with half of his
body protruding from the coral into the open water. The first shot, with the eel in the
centre of the frame, makes a pleasing composition, but add in the model and suddenly the eel
seems so much more impressive as you are able to ‘see’ how big it is.
Find a point of interest Looking back at old photographs I took underwater,
there are an awful lot that show reef, reef and more reef. Now in the beginning, I was
blown away by every colourful bit of coral I saw, so I’d take a photograph, but over
time, I started to focus on individual subjects or stand-out areas of reef that had impact
instead of just blazing away. These early shots are just dull as dishwater. A bland
reef with no real point of interest just doesn’t work on any level, really, never mind in a
magazine. However, if you find a good subject but it
just lacks that ‘little something’, bring in your model once again. The colourful anemone
with attendant clownfish looked nice in the glare of the strobes, but on its own, it just
seems a bit… flat. Bringing in the model next to it, with their eyes glued on to the
anemone and clownfish, just lifts the entire image and also allows it to ‘tell a story’.
Using a torch I see a lot of photographs where the shooter
has got the model holding a torch. This can add a superb point of focus for the viewer,
and adds to the image as a whole, but be careful where you do this - it can be over-done. My
rule of thumb is to try and stick with torch use in situations where you genuinely would
use a light, so that it doesn’t look too forced or set-up.
Compare the images of the diver behind the anemone. In one they are holding a torch,
in the other they are just close behind the main subject. Both shots have the required
eye-contact, both have good composition, but for me, it works so much better without the
torch. I mean, this was taken at 20m on a Maldivian reef on a sunny day with a good
20 metres of vis - would you really be using a torch in these conditions? I don’t think
so… On the flipside, the shots of a diver equipped
with a torch entering or exiting a wreck, or under some dark overhang, or on a dusk
or night dive, is a more-natural scene, and so in these instances I would urge you to
try shooting your model when they are wielding a light.
What are some of your top tips when it comes to working with underwater models? Leave your
comments below, and if you have a question, fire away – if we can’t answer, maybe
someone in our community will be able to. Remember, if you enjoyed this video, be sure
to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and don’t forget you can grab a free digital magazine
subscription in the description below. As always, stay safe – and if you are going
diving soon, enjoy!