![Featured Customers | Jose L Ramos Serrano Light/Dark [VIDEO]](http://www.ikelite.com/cdn/shop/articles/jose-ramos-serrano-cover.jpg?v=1692817780&width=1500)
I am a professional Computer Generated artist that has been diving for seventeen years. Because of my field of work and experience with visuals, I always wanted to capture the underwater world as I felt it. But that turned out to be very challenging with the action cameras that I could get my hands on. I felt very limited not being able to change things like the shutter speed or the aperture of the lens.
It was on my last trip to the Red Sea that I could test what it means to capture the ocean with the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing. The result blew my mind. The footage was above my expectations, and the best thing is that I am still enjoying them through the post process. Now I am looking forward to coming back to the ocean with my camera. After many years scuba diving, I feel like this is a journey that has only just started.
This photo is from my very first time with the Sony a1 in the water. No ocean yet, just a bit of pool with the kids to get familiar with the housing. The possibilities of the pool are nothing compared to the ocean and its abundance of life, so I tried to embrace the architecture and human made patterns of the pool. I think the result is a lovely composition.
From my Red Sea trip I divided footage into two groups depending on the look: light and dark. These are the resulting cuts from both flavors.
LIGHT
© 2023 Jose L Ramos Serrano
I had a blast scuba diving on the Red Sea in July 2023. This time was my second and I wondered before arriving how everything would have changed in 14 years. I have seen with my own eyes how places like Hawaii get bleached and wildlife disappears. But I am extremely happy to report that corals remain beautifully healthy and there is even more abundance of life, beating the worldwide trend. What a special place, a true treasure.
I regret not having a couple of nice and soft fill lights for the close ups of the Corals. I think that would help me maintain a more consistent white balance though shots and would fill nicely the foreground. Things to improve for the next time!
DARK
© 2023 Jose L Ramos Serrano
I knew I wanted to go dark, contrasted and desaturated for this cut. Color correcting some of the footage on this cut has been really fun and rewarding. I am really impressed with the performance of the Sony A1 with SLog3 under low light.
Jose L Ramos Serrano is a computer graphics artist. As a child he was introduced to 3D animation software and he's been passionate about it ever since. Jose began his career as a freelance artist and now works for Pixar, his dream come true. When he's not in the animation studio you can find him underwater diving and developing his newest passion - underwater videography. He uses the Sony a1 inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing with the Sony Zeiss 16-35mm f4 lens inside the Compact Dome. Check out more of Jose's animation work on his website, and follow his Instagram @jlramos3d for more of his underwater adventures.
Additional Reading
Setting the Right Frame Rate and Shutter Speed for Your Underwater Footage [VIDEO]
Underwater Exposure Explained | Aperture Settings [VIDEO]
Sony a1 Photos from the Pacific Northwest with the Ikelite Underwater Housing
