In last month's column, we introduced some of the techniques for taping divers. This month we'll continue with more creative suggestions on this subject. HOW BIG IS IT? One reason for including divers in a scene is to give viewers a ruler for comparing size. If you only shot fish, the viewer might wonder How big is that grouper? By including divers you give your viewers a point of reference for comparison. TAKE THE VIEWER DIVING Diver shots also promote a you are there feeling. Imagine watching a video featuring nothing but marine life. After a while you get detached, as if you were viewing life on another planet. When divers enter the scene, viewers get a sense of place and become involved with the action. Use an over-the-shoulder shot to give the diver's point of view and really get your viewers involved in the action. LOOK CLOSELY AT OBJECTS People normally examine objects from about two feet away. If they are looking at something in their hand, it's about 18 inches from their face. On video, however, this is a problem. The subject and the object appear too far apart. You need to tighten up the scene and get closer. If a diver has agreed to pose for you, instruct him to get extremely close to objects - about a foot away. If he is holding an object, make sure it is about six or eight inches from his mask. It will seem unnatural to the model, but it looks better on videotape. Expect to repeatedly signal your model, Get closer, get closer. USE FACE SHOTS Some divers look good wearing a mask (others look like me). If you see a model, ask if you can shoot some face close-ups. You can use these in editing as cut-in shots. For example, you have shots of two divers looking at a grouper, and ones of just the grouper. Insert a brief face shot between these to develop interest and action. And don't forget that fish have faces, too. Include a close-up of the grouper. You can shoot face shots two ways: You can cut to a diver's face during the action and then quickly back to the main action, or you can shoot some posed face shots for later editing. I like to shoot the face shots during the action, as it also allows me to collect face shots for later. THINK GIGO GIGO stands for Garbage In - Garbage Out. If you choose a poor subject, you get a poor video. If your subject is wearing an all-black wetsuit and unsightly black gear with accessories clipped to every D-ring, it will look terrible on tape. Your model should wear good-looking, colorful dive gear. Light blue is a good color. Black with bright yellow, however, may have too great a brightness range for video. Your model should use a mask that doesn't give a bug-eyed look. A translucent mask allows more light to reach the face than an opaque mask. ANTICIPATE ACTION Good diver video shows divers who are engaged and active. Animal interactions, such as Stingray City in Grand Cayman, make particularly good video. To show it effectively, you must anticipate the action and be in the right place at the right time, with the right lens for the job. Action is a good substitute for talent when taping divers. KISS Keep It Super Simple is a phrase we all know. Once a person's head goes below water, his brain often turns to mush. He forgets the plan, misunderstands signals or swims ahead to the destination and loses you. (Guess how I know this.) Therefore, keep it super simple. Your probability for success will expand exponentially if you do. To comment on this article, e-mail [email protected].