Close Focus Wide Angle Photographs are one of the must haves in an underwater photography portfolio. We see the technique showcased in magazines, advertisements, and plastered all over social media. It is arguably the most important photographic technique in underwater photography. But what, exactly, does CFWA mean, and how does one make an impact using this technique?
Wide angle photography is generally an image that takes in a wide angle of view such as a large school of fish, or a coral reef. Close Focus Wide Angle is when you use a close focusing lens, usually a fisheye lens, to focus on a subject in the foreground (such as the turtle below) with other elements in the background such as blue water or a reef. The forced perspective of a fisheye lens makes the subject in the foreground stand out.
Wide Angle 
CFWA
The key to shooting CFWA is in getting close to the subject. The closer you get, the bigger the animal will look in comparison to the environment. But this creates a challenge because many animals are not comfortable with a diver who is too up close and personal. If you are able to approach the animal, then it is very important to be mindful of the environment so that you don’t damage it. When you are able to get very close to your subject, another challenge presents itself and that is lighting.
Strobe placement can be a bit tricky when it comes to CFWA because when you get very close to a subject your strobes may not be able to cast light on it without getting flare on the sides of the image. Then, when you try to pull your strobes back, the subject may be shaded down the middle. Take a look at the two images below. In the first one, the strobes are not lighting the middle of the image. The dome port is only inches from the sponges and coral, but the strobes are so far apart they are only lighting the outside edges of the subject.
(25-30cm ) apart at 9:00 and 3:00
This is easily corrected by bringing the strobes closer together. Think of an analog clock, and the strobes being placed at about 9:00 and 3:00. They should be fairly close together because your subject is very close to your dome port. They should also be close to your housing, even touching it is not too close! A good rule of thumb is that the strobes should be as far apart as your subject is from your lens. In other words, if your lens is 8 inches from your subject, your strobes should only be about 8 inches apart. With the strobes close together, their light falls through the middle of the image creating a pleasing, well lit composition.
Technically speaking, lighting is the most important part of a CFWA photograph. The strobes should have diffusers so that the light is soft and even. Shoot with the strobes on low power. You will not need a great deal of light when you are very close to your subject. In addition, a small dome port can be indispensable for getting in close to a subject without blocking the light from the strobes.
CFWA photography can be visually compelling if you think through the composition before hand. As with any good photography or artwork, there should be elements that add depth and interest to the work. For instance, your subject is the main focus of the image, but if you have a diver looking at the subject, you now have a secondary subject.
In addition, you have added depth to a two-dimensional image. Your goal should be to get the viewer to look at your image and be intrigued by the foreground, mid-ground and background. So if you have a diver looking at a subject and there are beautiful sunbeams behind that, you have achieved this goal. This is the most important reason for shooting CFWA. It gives you the opportunity to create visual depth in your image.
The most important camera equipment for CFWA is the lens. A fisheye lens causes the subject to look larger when you are very close and gives the image a three dimensional feel. Often, smaller cameras with smaller housings make better images than large DSLR’s because of their ability to get in close and because the light from the strobes can be closer together when the housing is not in the way. If you have a large DSLR, you can take the handles off the housing to make it a little more compact.
Camera settings should be adjusted with the aperture being your first priority. Because you are focusing so close to your subject, the aperture should be closed down to get an adequate depth of field. If you have to adjust other settings to let in enough light, start with the ISO, then slow down the shutter speed. Keep the ambient light in mind. It is important that the ambient light blends in with your strobe light so that the subject appears to be lit by the sun rather than by strobe light. For this reason, you may have to adjust the amount of light coming from your strobes to blend with the ambient light.
Although using a fisheye lens, small dome port and the correct camera settings are an important part of creating a good CFWA image, your technique is equally important. Strobe placement and attention to lighting and composition are vital parts of creating an image with impact. You can improve your ability to see mistakes by following underwater photography groups on social media and looking at CFWA images. See how they meet the criteria posted here and you will be able to spot your own mistakes more quickly and improve your own CFWA images.
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My photographs are taken with a Nikon D810 in Sea and Sea Housing using two YS-D2 Strobes.
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copyright Brook Peterson 2019
