On Wednesday 19th January, Southern Photographic Society members enjoyed a presentation about underwater photography.
Four divers joined us for a much-anticipated evening to share their images and stories from waters around the Isle of Man and further afield.
Manx Wildlife Trust CEO, Leigh Morris, was joined by MWT colleagues Dr Lara Howe and Clare Payne-Rogerson along with Kathryn Fowler of Discover Diving.
In addition to the images, all four brought their photographic equipment and accessories, and it was interesting to see that the cameras ranged from a compact to a DSLR.
Leigh began with a selection of images from Manx waters and the Ascension Islands, featuring all manner of wildlife from fish to seals and plant life.
As well as information about the subjects of his images, he also gave tips about using light sources and other divers to add interest to the images and shared several examples.
He was followed by Kathryn, who explained that her interest in underwater photography began after winning a camera.
She explained that it is probably the most expensive prize that she has ever won, as it led to major expenditure on accessories to enhance her photographs!
Kathryn is a diving instructor and echoed Leigh’s advice to concentrate on becoming a competent and safe diver before thinking about creating images underwater.
Clare is a familiar face at the SPS after running some practical evenings and judging competitions, and she offered more in-depth advice about the settings and techniques required to produce underwater imagery.
The tips were accompanied by images demonstrating the techniques and lighting, and Clare also demonstrated the large and heavy housing for her DSLR camera.
The final speaker was Dr Lare Howe, a member of the IOMPS and an accomplished photographer both above and below the waves.
Lara is the MWT Marine Conservation Officer and she gave an expert commentary while sharing a fascinating selection of subjects of all shapes, sizes and colours.
The evening ended with a Q&A session and a warm vote of thanks from the members for a very enjoyable and interesting evening
As a gesture of appreciation, the Society is making a donation to Manx Wildlife Trust, which was boosted by a collection from members on the night.
The next meeting is the “Water” competition on Wednesday 2nd February, when Mike Wade is the judge, followed by the Digital Art evening on Wednesday 16th February and the 2-Way Battle with the Western Photographic Society the following evening in Peel.
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