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underwater photo editing

Post-Processing: Bringing Your Underwater Images to Life

This is Part 9 of a 10 part Natural Light Photography Series.

Manta Ray off Isla Mujeres, MX. 1/400, f/9, ISO 1000

Underwater photography is an art, but even the best raw images often need a little help to truly shine. This is where post-processing comes in. By enhancing colors, adjusting exposure, and fine-tuning details, you can transform your photos into stunning representations of the underwater world. In this blog, I’ll share my approach to post-processing and explain why it’s an essential part of creating impactful underwater images.

Why Post-Processing is Essential

When you shoot in RAW format, your camera captures as much data as possible but doesn’t automatically apply enhancements like it does for JPEGs. As a result, RAW images often look flat and lack vibrancy straight out of the camera. Post-processing allows you to:

A side-by-side comparison showcasing the power of post-processing in bringing an image to life. The before image captures the raw moment, while the after reveals the full potential through editing. Great White Shark off Guadalupe Island, MX. 1/320, f/8, ISO 800

This image was captured using the Auto White Balance feature on my camera.

  • Restore colors lost at depth.

  • Adjust highlights and shadows for better tonal balance.

  • Sharpen details to emphasize textures and patterns.

In underwater photography, where light and color are absorbed by water, post-processing is critical to bring your images back to life.

Sperm Whale off Dominica Island, Caribbean. 1/320, f/9, ISO 640

My Approach to Editing

  1. Start with the Basics:

    • Adjust exposure, contrast, and white balance to create a balanced, natural look.

    • Use the histogram to ensure tonal accuracy.

  2. Enhance Colors:

    • Use tools in Lightroom or Photoshop to boost vibrancy and saturation, especially for reds and yellows that fade quickly underwater.

    • Be cautious not to overdo it—keep the colors natural and true to what you experienced.

  3. Fine-Tune Details:

    • Sharpen key areas like the subject’s eyes or textures on the skin.

    • Reduce noise if you used a high ISO setting.

  4. Crop and Compose:

    • Straighten the horizon if needed and adjust the crop to emphasize your subject and remove distractions.

Green Anaconda off Bonito, Brazil. 1/320, f9, ISO 800

It’s Okay to Edit

There’s often debate about how much editing is acceptable in photography. Personally, I have no problem enhancing an image to make it look its best. Sometimes, the connection to the moment or the animal makes it worth salvaging a less-than-perfect shot.

Editing isn’t about “faking” an image—it’s about honoring the experience and showcasing the beauty of the underwater world. Every adjustment I make is guided by a desire to tell the story of that moment as authentically and vibrantly as possible.

Leopard Shark off La Jolla Shores, CA. 1/320, f/5.6, ISO 250

Balancing In-Camera and Post-Processing

While post-processing is powerful, I aim to get as close to the final image as possible in-camera. Proper exposure, composition, and custom white balance all make the editing process easier and faster, leaving more time to focus on creative enhancements.

Recommended Tools

If you’re just starting out with post-processing, here are some tools I recommend:

  • Adobe Lightroom: Excellent for managing exposure, color, and tonal adjustments.

  • Adobe Photoshop: Perfect for more advanced edits, like removing distractions or enhancing specific details.

  • Topaz AI: Great for reducing noise and adding sharpening without losing detail.

  • RC-Astro Backscatter Eliminator: A Game-Changer for Underwater Photographers

    This revolutionary new tool is a must-have for underwater photographers using Photoshop. The RC-Astro Backscatter Eliminator efficiently removes sand, debris, and backscatter from your images, revealing cleaner, sharper photographs. It enhances clarity without compromising detail, making it an essential addition to your post-processing workflow. If you shoot underwater, this app is a game-changer!

Oceanic Whitetip off Cat Island, Bahamas. 1/125, f/11, ISO 400

Practical Tips for Post-Processing

  1. Shoot in RAW: Always shoot in RAW to retain maximum detail and flexibility during editing.

  2. Take Breaks: Step away from your edits to avoid overdoing adjustments. Fresh eyes can help you spot areas that need tweaking.

  3. Develop Your Style: Experiment with different techniques to find a post-processing style that reflects your vision and complements your images.

Final Thoughts

Post-processing is a vital part of underwater photography, allowing you to elevate your images and tell compelling stories. It’s not about creating something artificial but enhancing what’s already there to reflect the beauty and magic of the underwater world. With practice and the right tools, you can transform your photos into powerful, vibrant works of art.

Whitetip Reef Sharks off Socorro, MX. 1/250, f/8, ISO 1250

The Histogram: Your Underwater Photography Lifeline

This is Part 8 of a 10 part Natural Light Photography Series.

The histogram is a graph on your camera that visually represents the tones in your image.

When you’re underwater, exposure can be tricky. Light behaves unpredictably, and the colors you see in the moment might not translate well into your photos. Enter the histogram—a tool that provides instant feedback on your image’s exposure and tonal balance. Mastering the histogram will not only improve your underwater photography but also save you from the heartbreak of discovering poorly exposed images after the dive.

What is a Histogram?

Photographing alligators in Florida presented a unique challenge due to the dark, shadowy areas of their habitat. The limited light resulted in many underexposed images, as reflected in my histogram here. 1/250, f/7.1, ISO 3200

A histogram is a graph on your camera that visually represents the tones in your image:

  • Left Side: Represents shadows and dark tones.

  • Right Side: Represents highlights and bright tones.

  • Middle: Represents midtones and everything in between.

By analyzing your histogram, you can assess whether your image is underexposed (too dark), overexposed (too bright), or perfectly balanced.

Why You Need the Histogram

While your camera’s LCD screen can give you a quick preview of your image, it’s not always accurate. Bright sunlight or underwater glare can make the screen misleading. The histogram, however, provides an objective view of your exposure, allowing you to adjust settings on the spot and avoid guesswork.

How to Use the Histogram Underwater

  1. Check for Clipping:

    • If the graph is pushed all the way to the left, you’re losing detail in the shadows.

    • If it’s pushed all the way to the right, your highlights are blown out and lack detail.

  2. Aim for Balance:

    • A well-exposed image will have tones distributed across the histogram, with no harsh spikes at either end. Keep in mind that the ideal histogram varies depending on your subject and lighting conditions.

We had heavy cloud coverage that caused the light to scatter unpredictably. I photographed this sperm whale under these conditions—slightly underexposed but still well-balanced. The image had some highlights in the water from the sun breaking through the clouds. 1/320, f/9, ISO 320

4. Adjust in Real-Time:

  • If your histogram shows overexposure, increase your shutter speed, narrow your aperture, or lower your ISO.

  • For underexposure, do the opposite: decrease shutter speed, open your aperture, or raise your ISO.

Why the Histogram is Critical Underwater

Underwater conditions are dynamic—light can change in an instant due to depth, water clarity, or cloud cover. By checking your histogram regularly during a dive, you can adapt to these changes and ensure your images are consistently well-exposed.

Tips for Mastering the Histogram

At 30 feet deep with the great hammerheads off Bimini, the lighting was ideal, and my settings were dialed in perfectly. As a result, we captured a well-exposed image, which is reflected in my histogram. 1/320, f/10, ISO 400.

  1. Practice on Land: Familiarize yourself with the histogram before heading underwater. Practice reading it in different lighting conditions to understand how your adjustments affect the graph.

  2. Check Exposure Frequently: Make a habit of checking your histogram after each major adjustment to your camera settings.

  3. Use RAW Format: Even with the best histogram practices, minor tweaks may be needed in post-processing. Shooting in RAW gives you more flexibility to adjust exposure and recover details.

Beyond Exposure: Evaluating Tonal Range

The histogram isn’t just about avoiding over- or underexposure—it’s also a tool for evaluating tonal range. A balanced histogram often results in an image with more depth and detail, capturing the full spectrum of light and shadow that makes your underwater subjects come alive.

Coming Next

In the next blog, we’ll discuss post-processing—a vital step in bringing your underwater images to life. Learn how to enhance colors, recover details, and make your photos truly pop. Stay tuned!

THIS IS PART 8 OF A 10 PART SERIES.

PART ONE - Is Natural Light Photography Photography For You?
PART TWO - The Euphotic Zone! Your best friend.
PART THREE - Custom White Balance, Natural Lights Secret Weapon.
PART FOUR - Shutter Speed: Freezing Moments Underwater.
PART FIVE - Aperture: Achieving Sharpness and Depth Underwater
PART SIX - ISO: Balancing Light Sensitivity Underwater
PART SEVEN - Focus Points: Keeping Your Subject Sharp Underwater
PART EIGHT - The Histogram: Your Underwater Photography Lifeline
PART NINE - Post-Processing: Bringing Your Underwater Images to Life.
PART TEN - The Freedom of Natural Light Photography: A Connection to the Wild