In this day and age of selfies, you can no longer afford NOT to take photos of your underwater adventures. It becomes even more important if you find yourself diving in Cebu, which is known for gorgeous beaches and more stunning marine life several hundreds of feet below.

But how do you take photos? What camera accessories should you use?

Nikon has suggested two: strobe and lenses. Strobes, which can be mounted on articulated arms, are accessories that allow your cameras to “see” underwater. If you are snorkeling or only a few feet from the surface, you may not have any purpose for these, but deep diving is completely different. Underneath, natural light rarely gets to get in, and you need a source that can illuminate the surroundings without hopefully scaring away the fish or an accessory that does not make your entire getup tad heavier.

For the lenses, Nikon recommends wide angle, which makes common sense because you want to capture as many details as possible in one shot. It also provides more color and contrast.

Great underwater photography also requires a deeper understanding of two things. First is marine life. Raul Touzon stresses this importance since animals react to people, more so devices that create light and sound, in different manners. Some of them can get frightened or run away while others can attack you, putting your life in grave danger. Learning more about them can also help you decide how deep you should go, what you can expect in their “territory,” and how long you need to take those pictures.

Touzon also gives us point #2, which is to understand yourself, particularly your diving skills. Keep in mind that when you are underwater, you will have a tank, you need to keep your senses alert at all times, and you should be mindful of your time. In other words, you have too many things to think about than to take pictures! Simply put, dive well first then take pictures after. Make yourself move underwater in autopilot so you have only photography to focus on.

When it comes to dealing with your subjects, a.k.a. your Nemo and Dory, Underwater Photography Guide gives us a few tips. One, keep yourself close to the subject, especially since underwater has less light available. About 12 inches or a foot will do, but again, safety first above everything else. There is no sense in trying to get a picture of a shark when you know (based on your studies, of course) that it appears threatening.

Many of the photos may require better contrast, but do not overprocess it. Most of all, do not add elements that are not there in the first place. Photos, regardless of how much you manipulate it, should continue to display the truth underwater.

With these tips in mind, hopefully, you will get more from diving Cebu—that is, you can pursue your photography passion while enjoying our awesome underwater. Plus, you can have photos your friends and family will surely drool over!