location for underwater portrait in Singapore

[focus627]

Hi, guys and gals. I am a newbie here. Plan to do some simple underwater portrait for a TFCD model, but cannot find a good location yet. Sea water at sentosa or east coast might be too murky. Do not know any swimming pool that allows such activity.
I just got the dslr and housing. No diving experience yet. The model is also not experienced either. So looking for some safe place with clear water.
Any advice?;p If one or two experienced underwater photographer want to join us for fun, do let me know. Thanks a lot!

 

[kkenji]

Better have safety as a priority yea . And no im not a underwater photog . Only a diver . Do share your shots once its out

 

[Gymrat76]

In Singapore? I doubt you'll find any place with clear enough water for any kind of u/w portrait shots, unless you manage to convince Underwater World to allow you to do it there :bsmilie:

Other option is to use a friend's swimming pool

Best is to head somewhere like Tioman or Dayang, but you'll have to wait till after the monsoon.

 

[patpoh]

Agree with Gymrat76.. you either use a friend's swimming pool or you pay to use the pools. Or go convince management to allow you to use the pool.

If you or the model got no experience please practice safety first. Pool is definitely safer than sea but still dangerous. Train yourself before attempting with another life. It's no joke when the model get too carried away and you have to rescue them. I have my fair share of experience when I work with the girls at an underwater studio overseas.

If you siao and want to shoot in the sea, make sure u have at least 2 EFR personnel around you...

On the more relax mood, have fun...

 

[LeoDaddy]

No water in singapore sea is clear enuf for your work and with no dive experience, swimming pool is your only choice. U/W shoot in open water is logistically difficult, you as the photographer needs to be a proficient diver.. model extremely comfortable underwater (preferably diver) and good support divers to assist. Even pool shoots can be risky especially if your model is weighted down. There are semi public pools where divers do their training and allow cameras (Outram Sec school), but pool tiles are not very nice, so I can only think of you shooting at night.

 

[naldojapardy]

I don't think you should consider the open sea if you haven't been diving yet. Its hard for the diver, but even harder and more dangerous for the model.
I usually test my cameras in NIE(in NTU)'s pool before a dive trip, very empty at morning-miday. But not open in weekends, if i remember correctly. The other pool in NTU is usually more crowded, and has quite a strict lifeguard, haha.

 

[patpoh]

I don't think you should consider the open sea if you haven't been diving yet. Its hard for the diver, but even harder and more dangerous for the model.
I usually test my cameras in NIE(in NTU)'s pool before a dive trip, very empty at morning-miday. But not open in weekends, if i remember correctly. The other pool in NTU is usually more crowded, and has quite a strict lifeguard, haha.

bro, you mean nie one is open to public??? used to be a teacher and i dun even know about that?!

 

[Neurosis]

it depends on whether you are using Scuba Tank or not. Usually swimming pools do not allow tanks coz any knocks will damage the tiles in the pool and replacing them is not cheap. If you doing it relative shallow, and i really mean shallow... meaning when the model can stand up if she needs air, then maybe it's possible.

In the sea, i don't think it's a good idea as both of you are not divers and also, as mentioned, you will need alot of logistics. you will also need very experience safety divers to help you out during the shoot as you will need to weigh the model down and she won't have time to go up to the surface for air unless she is a free diver. pls do remember that without mask, she is practically blind underwater, so safety divers are her only hope if she runs out of air or starts to panick.

 

[crabball]

as all has suggested... dont go for open sea although the "scenery" is nicer... I have done underwater pre-wedding shoot for people and the logistics is nightmare, and that is with certified diver... haha

best bet is pools used by divers for training and i think now is a good time as it is not so crowded approval for use of the private pools may be harder to get unless u can get it done without the management noticing. haha

Try shallow water first (slightly deeper than waist level) , then u wont need a tank. For deeper water (above head level), it is good to have a tank on standby in case out of air situation. But of cos u will need to know how to use it and you will also need an assistant on standby to administer the air, thus the logistics.

anyway, if u need any help can let me know also interested in doing u/w portraiture shoot though i using only pns LOL

 

[focus627]

Thanks a lot for all the advice! I will be very cautious. Maybe try to find a shallow swimming pool first. Will learn to dive early next year to gain some experience underwater. Thanks again friends!