Still photography

X-Ray Mag Photo Challenge: Comparisons

Comparison III and Comparison IV by Sheryl Checkman
Comparison III and Comparison IV by Sheryl Checkman

Back in 2020, we challenged underwater photographers—many of whom found themselves stuck inside or unable to go diving during the pandemic—to search through their image archives and match a topside shot with one of their own underwater shots, in a side-by-side comparison.

Proper Export of Underwater Images in Postproduction

Lionfish, the image to be used for this tutorial
Lionfish, the image to be used for this tutorial

In this series of articles on postproduction of underwater images, we have worked a lot on white balance settings, basic and advanced exposure corrections, contrast and curves, advanced techniques of removing colour casts, basic and advanced retouching, final colour boost, cropping and sharpening. Finally, our image is ready! And now, we arrive at the question: What do I do with it?

My Favorite Shore Dive: Contributors' Picks

Classic California reef scene at Point Dume, Malibu, California, USA.

We asked our contributors what their favorite shore or shallow dive was and they came back with stories and images of a diverse range of dives from around the world with easy to not-so-easy access off rocky to sandy shores as well as shallow dives under piers.

My Favorite Wide-Angle Dive: Contributors' Picks

North Atlantic humpback whale calf. Photo by Matthew Meier
North Atlantic humpback whale calf, Silver Bank, Dominican Republic. Photo by Matthew Meier

We asked our contributors what their favorite wide-angle dive was and they came back with stories and photos from some of the most unique and exhilarating dive sites on earth, many of them relaying interactions with large marine life from Steller sea lions in Kamchatka and giant manta rays in Komodo to tiger sharks in the Bahamas and humpback whales in the Dominican Republic.