I put an image "Sea Patrol :: just checking" in the gallery, and I was criticized for lack of underwater effect. If that means that I didn't use a "caustic" to simulate the effect of refraction thru waves: in the course of over 300 scuba dives I haven't seen caustics on the bottom much. If (1) the bottom is shallow and so within the range of the focal lengths of the curves that the surface of the water assumes as the waves pass (multipled by the sine of the altitude angle of the sun), and (2) if the water is clear enough, and (3) the sun is not behind a cloud, then caustics are to be expected. But in low-visibility UK waters I am usually out of visibility range of the surface even in quite shallow water and the light from above is diffuse, and the weather is often cloudy. And in the Red Sea I was usually too deep for caustics to show, and anyway they are often hidden by the color patterns of the bottom.

Is there anything else you could do to simulate these conditions? I like your image but it just does not look like it's under water.

Hi Anthony,maybe try using different settings of fog and haze and their colors to simulate the underwater effect. I agree with you that the caustic effect usually doesn't occur at deeper depths, so maybe the haze and fog will work better for the effect.

you are right about the caustics. people do tend to over do it on a normal basis. but most of them have never been diving (other then in for a few secs with a mask or in the pool) and so they have to believe that what they see on national geo in the carib. with all the pretty filters on the camera, etc. is normal for the whole world... but i do have to say that it does look nice when they are in there. it gives u a good illusion of what is happening. when i am not shure about if i should put somthing like that in a image i ussualy go watch some movies. movies are supposed to pertain to the highest crowd on what is believable (because they want to believe or because they fear its true, ie. jaws) lastly if u like how it looks then who cares what they think of it. i say that the only time i have to please someone else with what i put in somthing is when it is a gift or when i am getting paid for it.... so anyways who gives a $#!+.