excellent buoyancy skills and must remain in the same location as you pan to capture a series of images. If you happen to drift upwards or downwards in the water column, then your images are unlikely to stitch properly during post-processing. Often, placing your fin tips on the sand and rotating your body across a single horizontal axis as if you yourself were a monopod, achieves the best results. It’s important to do your very best to keep the camera level on both axes for near perfect alignment during stitching.
Camera Settings Use manual exposure and white balance and don’t change settings in between frames. Altering the exposure or white balance between images will lead to uneven areas of tone across the final image. Obtain the correct exposure for
the brightest frame in your series and be sure to check your histogram and blinking highlights (only a few highlights should be blinking in the brightest frame). Autofocus on the main part of
the scene you want sharp and then switch to manual focus, and hold your position to shoot the images.
You don’t want the camera to be refocusing part-way through the scene or you may end up with at least one of the frames out of focus. A large aperture (>f11) is
recommended to give you the greatest depth of field through your scene; however, you will also need a relatively fast shutter speed (>100th sec) to ensure the image is sharp. Some experimentation between a suitable combination of ISO, shutter speed and aperture based on your shooting conditions will be required before you commit to your final attempt. By shooting RAW you will ensure
that you capitalize on the highest resolution available on your camera, which is of benefit when processing your images and also results in the highest resolution panorama. Do a test shoot of your series to
check your exposure, focus and ensure you are perfectly positioned before attempting the final series.
Lighting The optimal conditions for this
technique are clear shallow waters complimented by grand vistas, such as wrecks and coral reef scenes. You can make the most of the
Panoramic
images such as this result from
stitching several photos together
with about 25 per cent overlap
available natural light to illuminate your scene by positioning the sun at your back. This will result in a uniform and easy to manage exposure throughout the entire scene. If you plan to use strobes for fill light, then make sure these are on low power, to allow for a reduced recycle time in between frames.
The Shoot Shoot from left to right. The images will load in your browser from left to right, so it will make it easier to keep track of your series when you’re back home on your computer. Before you commence the series,
take a picture of your hand with a finger pointing in the direction that you are about to pan. Use viewfinder grid display
to assist in keeping your series straight. For example, line up the top of the reef or other feature with one of the grid lines to optimize your chance of straight shooting throughout the entire scene. Pan slowly and accurately; there
is no need to hurry to the next image unless you are struggling to hold your position. This will give your strobes time to recharge in between frames. Keep an eye both on the
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