The Magic of Two Worlds in One Frame. Capturing Gorgeous Half Over Half Underwater Shots - A Beginner's Guide

Few images stop viewers instantly like an over-under split-level photo —
where sky and sea, air and water, surface and depth exist together in a single moment.

These photographs feel surreal, cinematic, and impossible.
Yet with the right technique, they’re surprisingly achievable.

What Creates a Split-Level, Half Over Half Under Shot?

A true over/under image requires:

• Half the lens above water and half below the water surface.
• Calm enough water surface to enable the frame to capture both
• Wide-angle perspective. The wider the lens you're using the easier it is to frame an image containing both. We recommend focal lengths below/shorter than 24mm.
• A dome-style, curved port to manage distortions caused by light traveling at different speeds in air (above surface) vs. underwater (below the surface). This difference is what causes various distortions and what the domes aim to correct. 

Without the right optical tools, split shots appear blurry or distorted.
That’s why dome-style ports are essential.

Why Dome Ports Are Important

As light travels at different speeds over air vs. water there are several distortions that occur. This difference in speed "bends" the light and creates the appearance of magnification, or positioning underwater. That's why a pencil in a glass of water may appear broken, for example. The image below illustrates the underwater distortion effect in question.  

Domes help correct for all of these distortions. But there's no "magic" in physics. So while domes help, there are several things photographers can do to help alleviate and correct these distortions thru the use of the right equipment (camera, lens, housing, dome ports), composition, lighting, and camera settings. 

Best Conditions for Beginners

Start where success is easiest and grow from there:

• Controlled environments where you can focus on the imaging rather than conditions. In other words, pic a location with "predictable" conditions; calm water, temperature, etc. and few unknowns such as murky water, currents, or wildlife.
• Swimming pools are ideal for its generally clear water, controlled temperature, and predictable surroundings. It's best to learn in calm, steady waters before you venture into open water territory such as rivers, lakes, or the ocean.
• Start with natural light. One of the advantages of underwater, split level imaging is that the lighting offers wonderful variation all day as the light's directional change creates different variations of beauty as reflections, refraction, and angles highlight different aspects of the environment. 
• Explore weightlessness. Take advantage of your ability to float three dimensionally around your subject to position yourself and the subject in the light you find most interesting or advantageous. Cloud or Tree cover can also provide a softening quality to the light, and as you move away from midday overhead sunlight, you can also explore the shady portions of the pool as you see fit.
• Take advantage of your backgrounds. Use natural or manmade backgrounds to accentuate the image, create contrast, or fade away not to distract from the subject.

Camera Settings That Work

We're focusing on Manual Focus and most auto focus cameras are going to give you very mixed results and prevent you from expressing your vision to its fullest, or improving your imaging skill level.

Lens:

Go for wide angle lenses, below 24mm focal length. Wide angle lenses allow you to get close to the subject, maximizing light, optimizing water-clarity, and maximizing differentiation between the above/below waterline differences. It also optimizes the correcting properties of the curved dome port. Longer focal lengths, are shooting primarily through the center, flatter portion of the dome anyway and not taking advantage of your investment. There are many great fixed and variable lenses you can use, such as 11-24mm, 12-24mm, 14-24mm, 16-35mm, 14mm, 16mm, and 20mm lenses. Fisheye lenses are obviously wide, but they create their own set of distortions. They can work well with dome ports if that's the look you're going for.

Focus:

Assigning your focal point is one of the most important aspects of split level photography. Because of the afore-mentioned magnification created underwater, in-line objects will appear disjointed underwater. So the type of subject in the image will determine where you want the eye to focus on the image. And that's where you want the camera's focal points to focus. If there are multiple subjects in the image, use that difference to your advantage by composing the image accordingly. In other words, frame each part of the shot to reflect your desired emphasis. There are several examples in the blog showcasing different examples: 2 subjects, 1 above 1 below the water, 2 subjects below the water, 1 subject both above and below the water, etc.

Aperture:

Use small aperture, deeper depth of field so that more of your frame is on focus. In other words, given all of the afore mentioned distortions, a deep depth of field increases the changes that more of your image will be in focus. As with all things photography, this depends on your desired outcomes. But as a beginner, a smaller aperture increases your changes of obtaining that split level impact given all other variables.

Shutter:

1/250s or faster, and take advantage of burst mode if you have it. Because there's so much movement in split level photography (above, at water level, and below the surface) shooting at a high frame rate and faster shutter speeds tend to maximize your changes of success, specially if you don't have the luxury of controlling the subject or repetition.

ISO:

As low as light allows. By following all of the guidelines above, you can then bump up your ISO as needed to ensure you have enough light in the shot without loosing resolution or sharpness.

These create balanced sharpness across both worlds.

Positioning the Dome Correctly

Small adjustments make huge differences:

• Keep the waterline near the center of your lens (and dome)
• Tilt as needed
• Shoot many frames in bursts
• Let waves create natural variation

Patience and repetition are part of the craft.

The Outex Difference: Outex Optical Glass Ports Maintain Optical Position and Characteristics That Conform to Each Lens

Make sure your waterproof housing is "compatible" with your lens. Unlike most hard case housings that offer acrylic/plastic dome ports, Outex makes optical glass dome ports (just like its flat ports), in part because the housing itself is so lightweight. Outex dome ports are compatible with all lenses because they use a combination of internal adaptors and/or clamps that not only comport the lenses inside the dome but it also fixates them in the optimal position within the dome for optical results. In other words, the adaptors and clamps help you get the most out of the lens you're using in relation to the dome by adapting to each lens' manufacturing characteristics. It does not by positioning the adaptors in accordance to a lens' filter threads or hood location to ensure field of view, distance from the lens, reduce reflections, glare etc. The Outex dome even moves with the lens to maintain those optical elements. For variable zoom lenses, the dome will move as you adjust the focal length, for example, always maintaining the best optical characteristics at each variation. 

Most traditional hard cases and domes use acrylic/plastic elements (not, glass) and float the lens inside, irrespective of the lens being used. So if you're luck that the dome port will accommodate the lens inside, there's not adapting by the housing for the optical characteristics of the lens in use.

Creative Split-Shot Ideas

• Surfers above, reef below
• Swimmers and reflections
• Boats and marine life
• Ice, mangroves, or riverbanks
• Wildlife at the surface

Each location tells two stories at once.

Making Split Photography More Accessible

New lightweight waterproof systems like Outex with professional optical glass domes now allow photographers to create split images:

• with existing cameras
• while traveling light
• at far lower cost

That accessibility is transforming what used to be a niche technique into a widely explored creative style.

Your First Split Shot Awaits

Split photography blends:

• landscape
• underwater
• storytelling
• timing
• technical craft

And once you capture a perfect waterline frame,
you’ll understand why photographers chase them around the world.