Split / Over-Under Photography

Also known as: Half-and-half, split shot, split level, over/under Key practitioners: David Doubilet, Franco Banfi, Cristian Dimitrius, Matty Smith, Becky Kagan Schott, Berkley White, Mike Veitch, Viktor Lyagushkin Equipment: Wide-angle or fisheye lens, large dome port (8-10”+), small aperture (f/16-f/22), strobes

Overview

Split or over-under photography captures both the underwater and above-water worlds in a single frame, with the waterline bisecting the image. The technique produces some of the most visually striking images in underwater photography — as David Doubilet described it: “These images bring the two elements of our planet together. They are especially striking when viewed by people that have never been diving” (^[1]).

The technique requires mastery of dome port optics, depth of field management, exposure balancing between two radically different lighting environments, and the persistent challenge of water droplets on the dome surface.

History on Wetpixel

Dome port evolution (2005-2010)

Split shots depend on dome ports, and Wetpixel tracked the dome port ecosystem extensively. Key milestones:

• 2005: Ikelite released its 8-inch dome port, reviewed by James Wiseman with the Canon 10-22mm lens (^[2], ^[3]). Aquatica shipped an 8-inch dome compatible with Ikelite housings (^[4]).
• 2008-2009: Daniel Brown wrote the eight-part “Dome Port Diaries” series for Wetpixel, chronicling a newcomer’s journey into housing ownership with humor and technical detail (^[5]).
• 2010: Eric Cheng covered the emerging mini-dome trend — Seacam’s 105mm Fisheye Macro port and Zen Underwater’s 100mm dome, both ~4 inches, designed for fisheye lenses on crop-sensor bodies (^[6]). Barry Guimbellot published a DIY small dome port design for CFWA on Wetpixel (^[7]).

The definitive “Ask the Pros” feature (2015)

The landmark Wetpixel treatment was the 2015 “Ask the Pros: Split shots” article, a five-page feature with contributions from 16 professional photographers: David Doubilet, Franco Banfi, Cristian Dimitrius, Allison Vitsky Sallmon, Andy Sallmon, Matt Smith, Douglas Seifert, Mike Veitch, David Fleetham, Eiko Jones, Viktor Lyagushkin, David Salvatori, Becky Kagan Schott, Rico Besserdich, Julian Cohen, and Berkley White. Each answered standardized questions about lens choice, dome port size, exposure technique, fast-moving subjects, ideal dive sites, and commercial viability (^[8]).

Specialized applications

• Iceberg splits: In 2015, photographer Steve Mandel used a custom rig — a Canon 5D Mark III on a 7-foot pole with CamRanger iPad control — to shoot split shots of Antarctic icebergs from a zodiac, done under permit since recreational drone use was banned (^[9]).
• Water droplet management: Matty Smith published a video tutorial in 2017 on minimizing water droplets for half-and-half images (^[10]).

Wetpixel Live coverage (2020)

Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon dedicated a Wetpixel Live episode to split shot technique, focusing on the perennial forum question of preventing water droplets on dome ports (^[11]). A companion article republished the 2015 “Ask the Pros” feature, calling it “the definitive guide to honing your split shot skills” with “literally hundreds of years of experience” represented (^[12]).

Additional Wetpixel Live episodes covered related topics: Dome Port Essentials, Dome Port Choices (two episodes), Mini Dome Port Primer, Dome Port Maintenance, and Scratched Dome Port Advice.

Technique Details

Optics and depth of field

The fundamental challenge: underwater, the lens focuses on a virtual image approximately 18 inches in front of the dome port; above water, the lens focuses at infinity. As Doubilet explained: “These pictures must be made at f/16 or f/22 for depth of field to hold up” — he builds images around “f/22, the ‘unmovable’ f-stop” (^[13]).

Preferred lenses and dome ports

From the “Ask the Pros” survey:

• Doubilet: Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 and 16mm f/2.8 fisheye on Nikon D4/D3S, Seacam Superdome
• Banfi: Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye on 5D Mark III, super dome preferred for balance
• Dimitrius: Canon 16-35mm for video, 8-15mm for dark waters, 11-24mm (widest rectilinear); Zen ZP-230 (9-inch dome)
• Sallmon pair: Canon 8-15mm fisheye on full-frame, 8 or 10-inch glass dome ports with antireflective coatings

Most pros recommended the largest dome port practical for travel — 8 inches minimum, 9-10 inches preferred.

Exposure balancing

The above-water portion is typically 2-4 stops brighter than the underwater portion. Strategies vary:

• Doubilet: Expose correctly in-camera at f/22, light the underwater half with 2-3 strobes at half to full power
• Banfi: Close to f/16 minimum, increase ISO for shutter speed, use graduated neutral density filter in post
• Dimitrius: Add underwater fill light when possible; when using natural light, protect highlights topside and lift shadows below in post
• Sallmons: Expose for underwater primarily, tone down topside in Lightroom

Water droplets

The most-discussed challenge on the Wetpixel forum. Solutions mentioned by the pros include:

• Dunk and shoot method (Doubilet’s preference): repeatedly submerge and surface the dome
• Saliva (Dimitrius): “spitting in the dome like to avoid fogging the mask”
• Baby shampoo and chemical solutions
• Acceptance: Dimitrius noted “occasional drops don’t ruin the picture. In some cases they are part of the shot”

What makes a great split shot

Doubilet identified three elements: (1) a compelling surface, (2) an uncluttered and dynamic underwater half that “drives the image,” and (3) dramatic surface elements like “reflections or a wave breaking across the big dome creating a crystalline effect.” He called the surface “a thin molecular curtain that can create optical magic” (^[14]).

Commercial value

Multiple pros confirmed split shots sell well. The Sallmons noted that “when we’re considering the proportion of underwater to split images we shoot, they sell extraordinarily well.” Dimitrius described selling a crocodile-in-mangrove split immediately because “the only way to tell this story in one single picture was to do a split shot” (^[15]).

Forum discussions

The Wetpixel forum saw extensive dome port discussion, with the thread “Removing scratches from a dome port” accumulating 186 replies — one of the most active technical threads in the forum’s history. Other popular threads covered specific dome port choices for various housing and lens combinations.

References

• ^[16] (article, 16 pros)
• ^[17] (article)
• ^[18] (article)
• ^[19] (article)
• ^[20] (article)
• ^[21] (article)
• ^[22] (article)
• ^[23] (article series)
• ^[24] (article)
• ^[25] (article)