6 Simple Steps to Perfect Wide-Angle Lighting

Parrotfish in Sodwana Bay, photographed with one strobe.
One of the biggest challenges to wide angle underwater photography is lighting. In this post I’m going to cover the basics of how to use strobe lighting for wide angle photography.
The aim of this post is to get you thinking about where you are putting your strobes and where the light is falling; AND to encourage you to try it for yourself – to play around and see what works for you (and your subject)! It’s the only way to learn...
The aim of this post is to get you thinking about where you are putting your strobes and where the light is falling; AND to encourage you to try it for yourself – to play around and see what works for you (and your subject)! It’s the only way to learn...

Double strobe setup at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positioning.
- Equipment needed
Ideally, you should have two strobes, with two arms mounted to the handles on either side of your housing. DSLR and Mirrorless photographers will need a wide angle lens and a dome port, and compact camera users will be best off with a wet wide angle lens.

My strobes were pulled in close to my housing to light the shark correctly.
2. Keep your strobes well back
The single most important thing to remember is to keep the front of your strobe well back. This prevents ‘hot spots’ from appearing on either edge of your photo. It also helps to eliminate backscatter.
Pro Tip: After you’ve taken a few test shots, check the edges and top corners of your photos in your viewfinder to check there are no blown out areas or backscatter.
The single most important thing to remember is to keep the front of your strobe well back. This prevents ‘hot spots’ from appearing on either edge of your photo. It also helps to eliminate backscatter.
Pro Tip: After you’ve taken a few test shots, check the edges and top corners of your photos in your viewfinder to check there are no blown out areas or backscatter.

Vertical shots are great in wide angle underwater photography.
3. Strobe Power
I really push up my power quite a lot. However, sometimes I need to drop the power so that my subject is not overexposed or blown out. This will depend on your camera settings and brightness (reflectiveness) of subject. The lighter the subject, the more light it will reflect at your camera and the more exposed that subject will be. Play around with your strobe brightness until you get the correct exposure.
I really push up my power quite a lot. However, sometimes I need to drop the power so that my subject is not overexposed or blown out. This will depend on your camera settings and brightness (reflectiveness) of subject. The lighter the subject, the more light it will reflect at your camera and the more exposed that subject will be. Play around with your strobe brightness until you get the correct exposure.

I used long strobe arms to light this huge sea fan.
4. Backscatter
You want to be sure that the light coming out of your strobes hits your subject but does not light up the water between your camera and your subject. This way it will not light up the sediment in the water and your backscatter will be minimalised.
Pro Tip: If you are finding a lot of backscatter in your photos, turn your strobe power down a bit.
You want to be sure that the light coming out of your strobes hits your subject but does not light up the water between your camera and your subject. This way it will not light up the sediment in the water and your backscatter will be minimalised.
Pro Tip: If you are finding a lot of backscatter in your photos, turn your strobe power down a bit.

Two strobes are needed to light reef scenes like this.
5. Get Close
The reason we use a wide angle lense or wet wide-angle lenses is to get as close to our subject as possible to light it well. This doesn’t mean trying to get an entire reef or wreck into the shot, but so that you can get as close as possible without having to back up too much to get a pleasing amount in. The closer you are to your subject, the better your lighting will be. If you are too far away, your beam will not reach your subject, no matter how much power you blast at it.
The reason we use a wide angle lense or wet wide-angle lenses is to get as close to our subject as possible to light it well. This doesn’t mean trying to get an entire reef or wreck into the shot, but so that you can get as close as possible without having to back up too much to get a pleasing amount in. The closer you are to your subject, the better your lighting will be. If you are too far away, your beam will not reach your subject, no matter how much power you blast at it.

Strobes can really make the colours pop in underwater photography.
6. Standard positioning
If you think of the port of your camera as the front of a clock, the standard positioning for wide angle lighting is to have your strobes in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock position, or 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position. This is useful for most scenarios, smaller subjects, and divers. If you are using one strobe, have your strobe positioned above the centre of your housing.
Pro Tip: It’s very easy to get caught up in your photography. Always stay safe whilst diving for photos – stay with your buddy and monitor your air and bottom time. No photo is worth putting your life at risk!
So, there you have it – 7 very simple steps to improving your wide-angle photography. Give it a go and let me know how you do!
If you think of the port of your camera as the front of a clock, the standard positioning for wide angle lighting is to have your strobes in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock position, or 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position. This is useful for most scenarios, smaller subjects, and divers. If you are using one strobe, have your strobe positioned above the centre of your housing.
Pro Tip: It’s very easy to get caught up in your photography. Always stay safe whilst diving for photos – stay with your buddy and monitor your air and bottom time. No photo is worth putting your life at risk!
So, there you have it – 7 very simple steps to improving your wide-angle photography. Give it a go and let me know how you do!
Kate Jonker a writer and underwater photographer based in Gordon’s Bay, just outside Cape Town. She is a regular contributor to numerous underwater photography and diving magazines and her images have been featured in both local and international publications. A regular judge in international underwater photography competitions, she teaches underwater photography and is a qualified dive boat skipper and dive guide for Indigo Scuba Diving Centre which she and her husband own and run in Gordon’s Bay.
Kate’s passion lies with sharing her love of the ocean and her underwater experiences with others through photography and storytelling.
“Photography is a fantastic medium with which to create an awareness of the beauty - and plight - of our oceans. Images can stir many emotions and we, as underwater photographers, have the opportunity to tell visual stories about our underwater world to encourage its protection and preservation.”
Website: www.katejonker.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejonkerphotography/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateJonkerPhotography
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUOVIfi0qDGMRfiRUzeZ_TQ
Indigo Scuba:
Website: www.indigoscuba.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indigoscuba/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoscuba
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0mGtOa7vPAB7IrxySSKSTA
Kate’s passion lies with sharing her love of the ocean and her underwater experiences with others through photography and storytelling.
“Photography is a fantastic medium with which to create an awareness of the beauty - and plight - of our oceans. Images can stir many emotions and we, as underwater photographers, have the opportunity to tell visual stories about our underwater world to encourage its protection and preservation.”
Website: www.katejonker.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katejonkerphotography/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateJonkerPhotography
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUOVIfi0qDGMRfiRUzeZ_TQ
Indigo Scuba:
Website: www.indigoscuba.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indigoscuba/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoscuba
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0mGtOa7vPAB7IrxySSKSTA
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