The Lumia 950 smartphone includes a great 20MP PureView rear camera, so a National Geographic photographer grabbed one for taking a few shots of one of our planet's great natural wonders: Australia's Great Barrier Reef... underwater. Microsoft spoke with that photographer, Stephen Alvarez, on how to use the Windows 10 Mobile device on your own excursions under the sea.

The Lumia 950 is, understandably, not waterproof, so Alvarez had to put the smartphone in a waterproof bag that included an optical plexiglass for the phone's viewfinder and lens to take it underwater (Microsoft notes that you can purchase your own waterproof bag or learn how to make one yourself by searching on the Internet).

Once that's in place, Alvarez says there are a number of tips to take the best underwater pictures with the smartphone. One is to shoot close to the water's surface so you can have the best light for your pictures. Another is to set the camera's controls to automatic instead of manually checking and changing the lens settings.

Photos should be taken in RAW DNG image support so users can have more options for correcting images afterwards, according to Alvarez. Some photos might need an object in place to show some scale, and Alvarez says to get as close to your intended object as you can. Finally, taking a lot of photos is recommended, and the Lumia 950's Burst mode will help capture images that might be missed otherwise.

Check out more tips for getting the best photographs underwater

Buy the Lumia 950 at the Microsoft Store