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t H e d a r K r o o m

Part 2 :T H E k i T

p H o t o g r a p H i C w i Z a r d r y w i t H s t e p H a n K l e i n l e i n

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Whether you're new in the field, a hobbyist or a professional, as an Ocean Photographer you'll need your specialized kit. Your kit will vary depending on how seriously you would like to go with your photography. In the beginning I would say it is actually not advisable to start with the top-notch pro camera body and high end professional lenses. In fact I think in the beginning a small waterproof camera like a GoPro or something of a similar style, size and format will do you fine. These days those tiny, inexpensive waterproof cameras do an amazing job. More important in the beginning is to get out and shoot as much as you can and in as many different situations as you can possibly put yourself into. You can learn to shoot in different weather conditions and light conditions and get used to fast moving action shots with your friends kiting around you, and you can get used to the right angle and learning where you want them to be in relation to the sunlight and water spray. It is so much fun to be out there for a few hours, swimming in the elements (and if you have some goggles on, you will be surprised what you see under the water surface while you are waiting for your friends to come past you!). I think this is more important to get familiar with than spending hours-and-hours at home reading instruction manuals.

Once you have worked out the angles and are experienced and comfortable in the water though, it is time to think about investing some serious money into camera equipment. Before I go any further I just want to clarify that I don’t intend to push particular brands; you will find pros and cons for all the brands and they all have great working products which will do the job. The only tip I can give you here is that when you think about buying your first expensive camera and especially the first expensive lens, you should stick with the brand. For me it was Canon, and I saved up for my first real expensive L-Lens (which are the better quality lens line by Canon). It was the 100-400mm Tele Zoom lens. The shots I got with that lens were amazing and the lens gave me a huge range, especially for my surf photography from land or from a boat. So after the first lens came another L-Canon lens and another and so on. All these lenses are an investment in your future photography.

Your camera body is not as important as your lenses. Of course a good camera body (such as a Canon 5DMK3 which I have been using for a few years now) will give you a lot of great features such as a shooting speed of up to 6 frames per second, a full format sensor (which is especially useful when you shoot with wide angle lenses in the water to get as much into the frame as possible), and 22.3 megapixel image quality, but the camera body will not perform to its maximum potential unless you have a high quality lens in front of it. Plus your lenses can last a lifetime if you look after them whereas your camera bodies will change all the time. They have a specific nominated life expectancy by the manufacturers (for example a Canon 5D is supposed to last up to 150,000 actuations, a Canon 1D up to 400,000 actuations and so on) and although those numbers might not be 100% in real life, they show that your camera bodies will die eventually. But by then a new model with updated and desirable new features is probably out and you would like to replace your old camera with the new model anyway!

So, with this in mind, let’s take a look at the kit you need to get the best shots in all situations. I would say there are 3 different 'kit’ categories to consider:

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Telephoto lens. Shooting surfers, waves, whales, dolphins or other swimming ocean creatures from land is normally done with a Telephoto, Telephoto Zoom, or the very pricey Super Telephoto Prime lenses. The object you are photographing is normally far away and a 300mm Tele Lens is where it starts. A good combination for me was my first 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS Canon lens. I also bought a 1.4x and later a 2x extender for it. This combo gave me a good range up to 800mm with good quality images in daylight conditions. Also the lens has the inbuilt stabilizer which is helpful when you have to zoom in from a long distance as it will keep the lens steady and the photo will appear much sharper. This is also very advantageous when you don’t shoot from a tripod but are just buzzing up and down on the beach and taking snap shots of everyone and everything which is moving in front of you.

‘All-rounder’ lens. Today my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 ISII is my favorite all-round lens for shooting with and without extenders. This lens costs a bit more but it gives me a huge range on land and I also use it in my water housing with a specially made lens port to shoot big waves from a safer distance when I am swimming. This lens is also great in lower light situations, like a sunset or sunrise.

Super Tele. My 500mm or 600mm Canon prime Super Telephoto lens was then the “Top Notch” investment for super clear distance shots of surfers and wildlife. These lenses are very expensive and very specific in their use, and also very heavy to travel and shoot with. A good steady tripod with a smooth moving gimbal head on is essential…

Tripods and Monopods. A steady camera on a tripod will make it much easier to shoot objects, especially moving objects in the distance, and will keep the image as sharp and clear as possible. You can go for lightweight carbon tripods which cost more but bear in mind that you might be traveling with it on an airline one day and lightweight kit will save you lots of money in the long run with excess luggage costs.

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Housing. A good reliable water housing is essential for your water shooting. The key things you want from it are that 1) it keeps your DSLR camera dry, 2) you can change as many settings as possible on the camera while it is in the housing, and 3) that it has easily changeable ports for different lenses. These days there are a few good surf water-housing manufacturers on the market. Years ago they were much harder to find and photographers built their own housings which were often very limiting in changing camera settings. But they worked and brought us amazing images out from the oceans... On YouTube you will find many video clips which will explain and show you how to make your own water housing for a low cost. A good way to start if money is a bit of an issue.

If you are buying a housing then there are two main types of water housings: ones for scuba dive photography, which are normally bulkier and heavier but can be used at much deeper depths than the ‘surf ’ water-housings which are designed to take photos just on or under the water surface. These are lighter which is a plus as you often have to lift it all out of the water to take the shot. You also need to think about the type of shots you like to take. One of my passions is shore break photography or split shots where you take a photo which is half under and half above the water line. Very tricky but when you nail it, it looks awesome. For those kind of images you need a strong housing which can take a hit after you go over the falls and hit the sand with it. And for the split-shots you need a super-size round dome of 8” to 11”.

If you are buying an expensive water housing it is important to pick a brand which also gives you good support and service when you need it. Unfortunately this is not always the case. There are plenty of brands on the market like Liquid Eye, SPL, Aqua Tech, CMT, and many more.

Lenses. Most of the times when you are shooting in the water you will use a wide angle lens, especially if you are shooting in the surf. The riders will come close and you have

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to aim straight towards them… A wide angle lens such as a 8-15mm fisheye will make it easier to get it all in the frame.

When the waves are getting bigger and you cannot be in the impact zone swimming safely any more, then it is often better to go with a 16-35mm lens or even 70-200mm lens, which are heavier but you can capture some cool angles from a safer distance. Normally a different lens means a different port for the lens which will be connected to the water-housing to make it one waterproof unit. Because the housings are built for heavy waves but still as lightweight as possible, often the manufacturers build a housing for each camera body. This means you cannot just change your camera bodies and hope they fit in your old water housing. Keep this in mind when you start purchasing your housing and get one you will stick with for a long time.

essential aCCessoriesFlippers. These have to be comfortable and efficient for you to move around the surf for hours. A tight fit will make your feet and toes hurt and be painful after a while. Not good for a photographer who has to be comfortable! Long scuba diving fins will tire you out quickly and can be easily lost in big surf. As a swimming surf photographer you need quick acceleration to get you out of a danger zone or propel you towards the perfect position for the shot. The best are the ‘boogie board’ type of fins.

A good wetsuit. This will give you buoyancy and make it easier to stay out there for longer. As a

photographer you often remain very still in one spot for a long time, so make sure the wetsuit keeps you warm - it also gives you protection from getting hammered by big sets and getting washed over rocks or reefs!

Helmet. Very important for surf shoots because of the constant danger that you might kiss a reef or a board… A helmet is also good for your GoPro mount to get another angle.

Goggles. Good quality diving goggles can be very helpful, especially when you are after those special shots underneath the water surface when a board cuts its lines through the water. Capturing those moments underneath the waterline needs good eyesight and a good breath-hold, so your eyes will thank you for having good goggles when you’ve been swimming in the salt water for hours.

Cases. You need good cases and the right backpacks for your gear while traveling or being on a boat, or just moving along the beach. Sand, water, salt and heat/sunlight are your equipment’s enemy, make sure you protect it from those elements as much as you can to keep your equipment in great working condition.

And always clean and look after your kit. Images which show water spots on the sensor, or camera equipment which doesn’t work on an important shoot will be your worst nightmare. Taking care of your equipment will make your work much less stressful and more successful…