Living steps away from an incredible reef system allows me to experiment with many different styles of photography. Recently I was looking for something different to spice up my portfolio so I decided to try out Fluoro Photography. My excitement has been slow to build on this but with the addition of some new gear and by gaining a bit more experience, I’m starting to see an entirely new world on the reefs and under the blue night sea light. ** **

In a nutshell, fluorescence is the name for the absorption of light at one wavelength or color and its re-emission of light at another wavelength. As explained to me by Charlie Mazel a “pioneer in underwater fluorescence technology “

What that really means for you as a photographer is that you will need to explore the divesite and shine the bright blue light on the reef, the greens, yellows and reds will glow back at you, the hardest part will be deciding what to photograph first.

A diver must realize that what our brains have been trained to understand with the sunlit reefs and white torches is all about to change. The blue lighting unveils a new and exciting dimension to an often visited dive site and gives the diver a chance to explore once again!!

3 Tips For Blue Light Photography

**Blue over Ultraviolet: **While most people think of ultraviolet light when they think of fluorescence, it turns out that blue is much more effective at making more underwater organisms glow, and more brightly, than UV. The light is best delivered by the new generation of high intensity LEDs. To get the best out of the viewing experience, wear a yellow filter visor over your mask. The yellow is designed to remove the reflected blue light and transmit only the fluorescence from the underwater life. http://www.nightsea.com/articles/blue-light-for-underwater-fluorescence/

Beyond the green color cast: There are other very subtle colors that can be seen and photographed. At first you will begin to see the variance of colors while post processing and discover that there really is more to it than what meets the naked eye. Asserting control over your camera and having a strong working knowledge of your system helps but it isn’t vital and almost anyone can capture great images no matter what system they are using.** **

Best dive sites for Fluoro Photography: Fringing hard coral reefs, walls and sandy muck sites are all good for fluoro photography. Open sandy areas tend to be a bit slower than the reefs and yield occasional anemones, crabs, etc. Hard corals like_ Cycloseris, Ctenactis, Acropora, Cyphastrae, Fungia, Favites_ and others all glow with amazing intensity while the soft corals are less reflective.

Need some inspiration? (Or just want to look at cool images?) Check out Mike's Blue Light Photography Gallery.