Alan Wulfe is seen by many as an underwater adventurer who spends his free time exploring the deep and filming a world few are fortunate enough to witness with their own eyes. His day job as the SVP of Alamo Aircraft LTD in San Antonio keeps him busy but he has made sure to make room for his aquatic photography passion.  While he started with standard underwater photography, he quickly added video to his repertoire and has found combining the two mediums has taken his storytelling skills to an entirely new level.

For more than 35 years, Alan has pursued his passion for traveling in pursuit of aquatic discoveries. Alan is a dive instructor and his enthusiasm has spread throughout his family.  “My wife and all four of my children have their open water certifications,” he says.   He has also been generous in sharing his discoveries with his community.

“I regularly share my work with some middle school and high school science classes in Austin and San Antonio,” Alan says.  “They enjoy seeing aquatic life and the videos help them learn in a fun and interactive way.”  In addition, Alan’s videos are used as teaching aides for Texas State University’s underwater photography course.

Alan’s unique perspective is one that he’s happy to share with other shutterbugs who are just venturing into aquatic photography.  When asked what are some of the most common missteps beginning photographers make when venturing into the ocean, he says, “One of the most common mistakes people make when starting is to buy the under $50.00 camera. I now use a “Lights n Motion” housing and video lights with a Sony HD Video Camera for both video and still shots, but I have used Nikons, Sea & Sea and Sea Life for stills.”

When it comes to technique, Alan advises, “Another common mistake is not understanding how color is lost when light is diminished as you go deeper or further away from your subject. Shooting down on a subject gives poor results while a straight on or up shot with the sun or flash at the right angle will yield better results. Try to “fin in and zoom out” the “less zoom the better the shot”. Backscatter can easily ruin a great shot.”

Alan has had many excursions in fascinating places, so it was tough to pin him down on a favorite place.  After careful consideration, he offers, “I’ve had many great adventures starting in the 70’s so it’s hard to pick a few, but Truk Lagoon was incredible because of the history still available underwater and Palau had unbelievable corals and sea life.  Little Cayman is always a favorite because it is easy to get to and the diving is always great.”  When asked if he has another adventure on the books, he says, “Our next trip is on a live aboard in the Maldives later this year and Fiji in 2011.”

Alan also encourages anyone who has been interested in aquatic photography to get scuba-certified.  “It’s never too late to start and what you see underwater will amaze you.”

Many of the same basic photographic principles apply regardless of whether your subject is in the shallow end of a pool or immersed in the Pacific. However, different environments do require different considerations. It’s important to remember safety above all, so make sure that you have the proper training and certification, and always be aware of your environment. Shooting underwater requires learning how to work within certain constraints and limitations such as a confined space, fast moving sea life and limited light.

Consider these tips the next time you consider shooting underwater:

Hone your Diving Skills: If you’re shooting in the deep, you’ll need to be able to keep yourself stable. Buoyancy control is very important in this environment and can have a great impact on the results you achieve.

Keep it Close: You’ll want to shoot your subjects closer than normal. Try to keep the distance less than two feet if possible. The water will ‘swallow’ light and getting well-illuminated shots is far more challenging if you’re shooting from farther away. You’ll also find that color fades the deeper you dive, so this is another consideration. Your flash won’t be as effective either, so try to close the gap between you and your subject.

Enlarge Your Subject: Try shooting upward to better capture your subject. This approach makes subjects appear grander and will allow you to show greater detail as well. This is a powerful technique in aquatic photography that adds scale and dimension to underwater life.

Pool Fun Photos: Try to shoot when the sun is overhead and strong, which is usually between 10am-2pm. This allows you to use the robust light to your advantage. You can also experiment with capturing action dive shots above and below water. Try a few test runs (kids love to ‘cannonball,’ so this shouldn’t be a problem) to make sure your placement allows you to capture the best shots.

Waterproofing Options: If underwater photography is something you’d like to pursue in a regular basis, consider purchasing a waterproof camera. There are a variety of models that can operate in wet conditions without fear of damage. If you prefer to use your existing camera, there are a number of watertight camera housings that will allow you to take your camera into the deep. Stop by our store and we’ll be put together the right solution for you.