PADI Photography & Videography Underwater 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the main purpose of checking the housing O-ring before every dive?
- To ensure the O-ring holds the camera in place during entry
- To detect debris, damage, or improper seating that could cause flooding (Correct answer)
- To confirm the housing is rated for the planned dive depth
- To verify the O-ring matches the color code for saltwater use
Correct answer: To detect debris, damage, or improper seating that could cause flooding
Inspecting the O-ring before each dive detects sand, hair, damage, or misalignment that could compromise the watertight seal and flood the housing.
Question 2: A macro photographer wants to capture a tiny nudibranch on a black sand slope. What background technique creates the most dramatic images?
- Position the subject against a bright sandy area for contrast
- Use a wide aperture and shoot slightly upward to use the blue water as background (Correct answer)
- Shoot straight down to use the dark sand as a natural backdrop
- Use maximum strobe power to illuminate the entire background evenly
Correct answer: Use a wide aperture and shoot slightly upward to use the blue water as background
Shooting upward with a wide aperture and positioning the subject against open water creates a clean, vivid blue background that makes the colorful nudibranch pop.
Question 3: What does TTL (Through The Lens) metering do in an underwater strobe system?
- Measures the available natural light before the diver submerges
- Automatically adjusts strobe output based on the camera's light reading for proper exposure (Correct answer)
- Controls the strobe's color temperature to match ambient depth conditions
- Synchronizes multiple strobes to fire at precisely the same millisecond
Correct answer: Automatically adjusts strobe output based on the camera's light reading for proper exposure
TTL metering allows the camera to communicate with the strobe, automatically adjusting flash output to achieve correct exposure for the subject's distance and reflectivity.
Question 4: Which composition technique involves placing the main subject off-center to create a more dynamic underwater image?
- The golden spiral method
- Rule of thirds (Correct answer)
- Center-weight framing
- Negative space inversion
Correct answer: Rule of thirds
The rule of thirds divides the frame into a 3x3 grid and placing subjects at intersection points creates more visually dynamic and interesting compositions than centering.
Question 5: After a saltwater dive, what is the correct procedure for rinsing an underwater camera housing?
- Immediately open the housing and rinse the camera body directly
- Soak the sealed housing in fresh water for several minutes before opening (Correct answer)
- Spray the housing exterior with isopropyl alcohol to dissolve salt crystals
- Allow the housing to air dry in the sun before rinsing to harden salt deposits
Correct answer: Soak the sealed housing in fresh water for several minutes before opening
Soaking the sealed housing in fresh water dissolves and flushes salt from buttons, dials, and seals before the housing is opened, preventing corrosion and contamination.
Question 6: What is 'snoot lighting' in underwater photography?
- A technique using ambient light only by shooting toward the sun
- A focused beam of light from a modified strobe that illuminates only a small area of the subject (Correct answer)
- Diffused strobe light created by attaching a frosted filter
- Natural light filtered through a narrow channel or cave opening
Correct answer: A focused beam of light from a modified strobe that illuminates only a small area of the subject
A snoot is an attachment that narrows strobe output into a concentrated beam, dramatically spotlighting small subjects against a dark background.
Question 7: A diver is filming at 20 meters and notices the video footage is very dark despite the camera's maximum ISO setting. What is the most practical solution?
- Ascend to 10 meters where more ambient light is available
- Add underwater video lights to supplement the limited ambient light (Correct answer)
- Switch from video to still photography which performs better in low light
- Increase the frame rate to collect more light per second
Correct answer: Add underwater video lights to supplement the limited ambient light
Adding video lights provides the artificial illumination necessary to properly expose footage at depth where ambient light is insufficient regardless of ISO settings.
PADI Photography & Videography Underwater 4
What is the main purpose of checking the housing O-ring before every dive?