Taking a dive

   What you see above is a "before and after" comparison of some color correction I recently did on some old dive footage from 2009. At the time I shot it, I didn't have the proper lens covering to filter out the massive amount of blue at that depth. I figured that I could correct any color issues when I put it into the computer.
   That proved MUCH more difficult than I had imagined. At the time, I had very little experience with color correction. I didn't know how to read scopes, and I didn't have access to any decent color grading software. So, I did the best I could and forgot about it.
   Since then, I've learned a LOT about grading, and I learned to read scopes. I'm still not a master grader by any means, but I do all right. Recently, I was reading about a different method to grade underwater footage specifically, since it poses its own set of problems. Reading that article made me think of this footage, so I decided it was time to revisit. What a difference it made!
   So I cut together footage from my dives on Rapa Nui and the Great Barrier Reef, respectively. You'll notice the extremely clear waters of Rapa Nui look much different than the more turbulent and silty waters of the reef. Had I to do it all over again, it would have been great to have some sort of gyro or stabilizer on the camera. It's really hard to swim and hold a camera steady at the same time.
   Anyway, I've upload the four minute long edit of these two dives on YouTube. You can find it by clicking HERE.
   Enjoy!


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