Never touch or move an animal
Do not prod, lift, turn or reposition a subject. Photograph the behaviour and position you find naturally.
Academy > Photography
Responsible Underwater Photography
The animal always comes before the photograph.
The photograph can wait
Andrew and Di photograph small marine life on their own dives. The rule is simple: the animal always comes before the photograph.
A photograph is never worth touching an animal, damaging its habitat or making it change its behaviour. Sort out buoyancy and position first. If the approach is not clean, do not take the shot.
Before pressing the shutter
Slow down, look around and give the animal a way out.
Do not chase
If an animal moves away, let it go. Keep escape routes open and never block it against coral, rock or another diver.
Give the subject space
Avoid surrounding an animal with several photographers. Take turns and leave room for it to move normally.
Control your whole body
Watch fins, knees, gauges, hoses, strobes and camera equipment. Good buoyancy comes before the photograph.
Leave the habitat alone
Do not move coral, rubble, hydroids, sponges or other habitat to improve a background or open up a camera angle.
Do not interrupt behaviour
Never interfere with feeding, mating, egg-laying or cleaning. Back away if your presence changes what the animal is doing.
Flash and focus lights
Use flash and continuous light with care. Avoid prolonged bright focus or video light, and do not repeatedly fire the strobe at the same animal just because the first photograph was not perfect.
Take a few considered photographs, check the result and move on. If behaviour changes or the animal appears stressed, stop immediately, back away and leave it alone.
Seahorses need extra care
Avoid repeated flash and keep the number of photographs to a minimum. Never touch or reposition a seahorse, and never move its holdfast to create a cleaner background.
Do not crowd it or hover directly above it. If the seahorse turns away, changes posture, darkens or otherwise appears uncomfortable, back away and leave it alone.
The animal always comes before the photograph.
A simple in-water check
- Settle your buoyancy before approaching.
- Check your fins, hoses, gauges and camera equipment.
- Look for fragile habitat and a clear escape route.
- Approach slowly without chasing or blocking the animal.
- Take a few considered photographs.
- Stop at the first sign of changed behaviour or stress.
No photograph is guaranteed. Sometimes the responsible choice is to watch, remember the encounter and swim away without taking one.
Continue learning
Good buoyancy, camera awareness and a simple setup make it easier to work carefully around small marine life.
Camera Awareness Better Macro Photography Back to Photography