WHEN TO SHOOT

If you’re planning on shooting reef or seabed then definitely wait for low tide when there is the minimum amount of water over the coral, ideally half a metre or less. The first thing I do once I’ve found a location is to check the local tide charts and see which day is best for lowest tide at the time of day I want to shoot. If you’re shooting animals in the open ocean, tide is obviously irrelevant and the best time of day depends on if the subject is too big for proper strobe coverage or not. Anything too big to light with a strobe may well be better shot around the middle of the day to maximise light penetration. But don’t fret if the midday sun isn’t out: The look of heavy cloud in split shots adds a dramatic effect to a picture that a clear blue sky cannot.

If your subject can be shot with your strobes, shoot at any time to get your desired atmosphere into the image.

Matthew Smith ABOVE: The house reef around Lissenung Island by: