One of the big questions every underwater photographer asks himself or herself before a dive is “Do I plan for macro or do I plan for wide?” More and more, I find myself leaning toward wide-angle. The beauty of wide-angle is it helps tell a complete story, allowing the viewer to witness remarkable moments: to behold a mother whale and her calf, to sense the power of the stingray as it lifts itself off the ocean’s sandy bottom, and to almost feel the sensation of the endless blue water that surrounds them. I joke that if a fire ever broke out in my home, the things I would save (in order) are: (1) my wife; (2) my dog; and (3) my Tokina 10-17 mm fisheye lens.

I’ve had the opportunity to have nature throw some pretty incredible curveballs at me, and I’ve often been lucky enough to have my trusty 10-17 lens with me. The Tokina 10-17 fisheye is one of the most popular lenses today, and with good reason (well, reasons). The lens can be used with either Canon or Nikon crop sensor DSLR cameras, making it extremely versatile. When people who are very loyal to either Canon or Nikon learn that Tokina makes this lens, they are always surprised — and sometimes a little apprehensive because of that loyalty to their respective brand — but when I show them what the Tokina is capable of, they don’t mind welcoming Tokina into their equipment family.

Regardless of the type of underwater system any photographer uses, the most critical piece of advice I can offer is to get as close as possible to the subject when shooting. Showcasing great flexibility, the Tokina 10-17 gives a wide 100- to 180-degree angle of coverage that allows the photographer to get extremely close, reducing the water column between the subject and the lens, resulting in a much higher quality image as it helps to achieve proper contrast and clarity.

Shooting wide-angle can be extremely difficult — and frustrating. I encourage my students to allow themselves some room for failure at first, but to use those opportunities to succeed the next time. There are a lot of components to getting successful wide-angle shots, and a good lens is vital to that success. Photographers should concentrate on controlling what they can, while remembering what they’ve already learned to take care of what they can’t. When it all comes together and the photographer has the shot he’s dreamed of, it’s worth every ounce of that frustration. In most of my personal favorite shots, the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye lens has been right there with me.

_Craig Dietrich is the photo pro for Pompano Dive Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. To see more of Craig's work, visit his website Dietrich Underwater. _