Photography & Videography Underwater Flashcards
7 cards from real PADI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Photography & Videography Underwater flashcards as text
Why do underwater photos often appear blue-green even when taken at shallow depths?
Answer: Water selectively absorbs red and orange wavelengths first
Water absorbs red wavelengths within the first few feet of depth, progressively removing warm colors and leaving blue-green hues dominant.
What is the primary advantage of shooting in RAW format for underwater photography?
Answer: Post-processing allows extensive white balance and color correction
RAW files retain all sensor data, allowing photographers to correct white balance and recover color information lost to water absorption in post-processing.
When filming a wide-angle scene of a coral reef, the videographer notices strong backscatter in the footage. What is the most effective solution?
Answer: Move video lights to the side and angled away from the lens axis
Positioning lights at a wide angle away from the lens axis prevents illuminating suspended particles directly in the camera's field of view, minimizing backscatter.
A diver wants to photograph a shy moray eel retreating into a crevice. Which approach best demonstrates good underwater photography etiquette?
Answer: Use a long macro lens and remain at a respectful distance
Using a long macro lens allows close-up shots while maintaining distance from the subject, minimizing disturbance to marine life.
What does the term 'depth of field' mean in underwater photography?
Answer: The range of distances in a scene that appear acceptably sharp
Depth of field is the zone of acceptable sharpness in an image, from the nearest to the farthest point that appears in focus.
Which f-stop setting produces the SHALLOWEST depth of field, isolating a subject from its background?
Answer: f/2.8
A wide aperture like f/2.8 produces a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and isolating the subject — a technique often used for macro subjects.
A photographer is shooting a sea turtle at 15 meters depth without artificial lighting. What color correction technique can be applied in-camera?
Answer: Set a custom white balance using a grey card or white slate at depth
Setting a custom white balance at depth using a neutral grey card or white slate compensates for the color shift specific to that depth and water conditions.