My first experience with underwater photography was some sort of a mistake. You see, I bought one of those underwater disposable cameras because I was going on a canoe trip. Considering its price, I surely did not trust them to be effectively sealed, but I figured that it would be some protection in case my camera got splashed.

I was too clumsy that one time it fell in the water. Luckily, it was light enough that I was able to retrieve it, and the underwater camera seemed not damaged. Intrigued, I decided to take some underwater pictures. I did not take them there - the river was too murky - but the next day I went off to a nearby beach and shot some photos of fishes and corals.

When I took the underwater camera in to develop the pictures, I was really impressed by the quality. It really did look quite good. Though it may not be at par with the regular digital camera, the quality of this cheap disposal underwater camera has motivated me to try more underwater camera photography.

Then I decided to get more involved in underwater photography. I figured that, if I was going to try something new, I might as will use the right equipment. I bought a top-of-the-line underwater digital camera and headed for the beach. I did not know a lot about the right way to take pictures, and my first forays into underwater photography were sort of misadventures. Nonetheless, I was very amazed by how much my underwater camera captured. I could see corals at the bottom, different aquatic animals, patterns of sunlight and shadow playing on the ocean floor - it was really stunning. My gadget would automatically adjust to different lighting conditions, ensuring that I would always capture pretty good images.

Looking back I'm glad that I spent all that money on the underwater camera. Most cameras known as water resistant are not really waterproof! This means that, over time, droplets will build up on the inside of the lenses and the camera will be damaged eventually. You need really high quality underwater cameras if you venture on taking a lot of pictures. Ideally, it should come with some kind of warranty that it won't be damaged if put under water regularly. Otherwise, it is not worth the money you pay for it. A few underwater photos are not worth losing your investment, after all. Still, if you read Consumer Reports and do some research, you should be able to find just the right thing to get the job done. I know I did.

Gosh, I wish I have enough money to buy my own underwater video camera. Sigh!