Morning sunriseOver-under shot

One of the most difficult shots to master in underwater photography is the infamous over and under shot also known as split-shot and split photos. These technical photographs require a large dome port to capture both subjects above and below the surface of the water. The dome port acts as a large glass viewing bubble for the lens to view the underwater world and the surface world at the same time. The difficulty of this technique involves various different elements. Firstly, you have to expose in a way that allows the darker bottom half of the photo to be visible while not blowing out the top half of the photo with the bright sun. It takes practice and time to find the perfect settings that balance the exposure of both sections of the image. Secondly you must be able to find a focal point on the subject that you want to have in focus. This can be challenging because water droplets and the water-line itself can take the focus away from the subject and come sometimes leave a photo that is completely blurry and out of focus. Lastly is of course the difficulty of capturing a moving subject in a fraction of a second with all of those other elements working against you. The final product can be rewarding and extremely unique. You can purchase this photo in my gallery along with many other over and under shots.