Photographing in Water: Great Things to do with a Waterproof Camera

Many years ago when I completed my scuba certification, I received an underwater camera as a gift so that I could take pictures of the fish. The camera had a fixed focus at 4 feet, it was very difficult to get the film in the camera, and you had to remember to tell them to "take the blue out" when you got the film developed. I used the camera on almost every dive I took and I actually got a few reasonable pictures of fish. Despite these challenges, I really liked the camera because I like to take pictures and it kept me so distracted that I forgot to be nervous about scuba diving.

It is now many years later, I no longer scuba dive and I haven't seen a roll of film in years. However, I still like taking pictures in the water so last year when I decided to purchase a small digital camera, I decided that the one accessory that I really wanted was a waterproof case. I chose the Canon SD300 ELPH with a waterproof case that looks like this:

To insert the camera in the case, I remove the wrist strap from the camera, put the camera in, and close the case. I usually like to check for a charged battery beforehand. The whole process takes about 15 seconds. Of course there are other brands of waterproof cases available that are just as easy to use.

Mostly I use the camera in the pool. I love the fact that I can take it right in with me and I don't have to worry about it getting wet. This allows me to really capture the fun that we have in the pool, like this photo of my older son jumping into the pool on our vacation last year:

This was taken about a year ago when the camera was new and my son was just learning to jump in by himself. He needed me in the water to make sure he got back to the edge safely. I would say "One, two, three, big jump!" and up he would go. I would pre-focus during the counting and shoot as soon as he took off. I had no problem capturing him in mid-air each time. I love that I was not only able to get a great photo; I was able to interact with him at the same time. In contrast, here is a photo of my younger son taken with a traditional camera from a pool deck:

While he is still captured in mid-air, we can't see his face, and another adult is needed in the water to assist him.

Jumping isn't the only type of fun we have in the pool and I am better able to capture it if I am in the pool participating! Every article about taking pictures of children says to get down on their level, so you don't have photos of the top of their heads. The same applies in the pool: photos taken from the pool deck show foreheads, photos taken from within the pool show faces, like this picture of my family on vacation:

Of course, the waterproof case allows the camera to go underwater too! It protects the camera from chlorine, salt water, and water in general. I love this photo of my son swimming towards me:

Anyone can take a photo like this; you don't even need to put your own face in the water! Just look at the camera's screen from above the water's surface or use a wide angle, point, and shoot.

We don't live near the beach and don't get there very often, but it is a great place to bring the waterproof camera. In the past, I worried about bringing a nice camera to the beach because I was concerned about sand getting into the mechanism. I love that the waterproof case protects against the sand as well as the water. I use the camera to take pictures of the boys playing in the sand, and because the camera is so well protected, I am comfortable letting them try to take some pictures. The waterproof camera is excellent for taking pictures of people playing in the ocean (jumping waves, surfing, etc.) because you can be out there with them taking pictures of the action.

Since kids can't pose when they're swimming, some water photos can be a real challenge to capture. This was particularly true when I was trying to teach my son to snorkel in the pool. I had to get his mask and snorkel on right, get him started, and then swim around in front of him to snap a photo before he got water in his mask and came up. The best I got were some shots of his back and half his face. Luckily, I am a scrapper and even mediocre water pictures can be turned into a really fun scrapbook page!

If you are in the market for a new camera, or if a waterproof case is available for your current camera, consider making that a part of your photographic equipment. If it's not an option, try an affordable disposable waterproof camera to capture your underwater adventures.