From blue to laptop: the magic
Let’s explore together the post-dive workflow, from procedures for GoPro maintenance, to organizing and backing up the clips, and finally, the basic stepsgirate e, for editing that will best enhance the footage.
Exit from the water
When returning to a boat, it’s important to keep the GoPro attached until you are firmly holding onto the ladder or a line. Only then should you carefully detach it and pass it to a crew member, ensuring they hold it securely. A moment of distraction could result in losing the GoPro and all the recorded footage.
As soon as possible, it’s advisable to place the GoPro in a container with fresh water. This step is essential to remove salt buildup, preventing corrosion. It’s also useful to include accessories like the telescopic pole, making sure to open and close it a couple of times underwater to allow the water to flow through.
Leave everything in soak for a while to let the salt dissolve completely. After rinsing, gently dry the camera and accessories with a soft cloth, paying attention to any traces of sand that could scratch the lenses. Never leave the equipment under direct sunlight to avoid damage.
From the return to the PC
Upon returning to the cabin/room, the housing must be opened over a clean cloth and only when its exterior is completely dry. At this juncture, it is crucial to perform a meticulous inspection for any signs of moisture ingress or water droplets; should such be detected, O-ring replacement may be warranted or, in more severe instances, replacement of the entire housing. The battery must be removed from the GoPro (initiating charging only after it has fully cooled down), and the housing should be left open to air dry. If a telescopic pole was utilized, it should be allowed to dry in its extended state, and subsequently, its mechanism should be lubricated using a WD-40 type spray lubricant or similar, by actuating it (opening and closing it) multiple times. As soon as practicable, reviewing the footage on a computer is advisable. This is crucial to verify successful capture and to check for any incorrect settings or egregious errors, thereby preventing their recurrence in subsequent dives. Footage quality should never be assessed solely on the GoPro’s integrated display, as it may obscure imperfections that are only discernible on larger, higher-resolution monitors.
Archive the files
To manage your footage effectively, organized file archiving is essential. Create a logical folder structure— for example, by date and location of the dive— and rename files meaningfully, keeping the original numbering and adding descriptions (e.g., “GX019400 tiger passes overhead.MP4”). This will make future searches and editing much easier.
To save storage space, it’s advised to delete all files that couldn’t be assigned a name, as they likely don’t contain important parts you might want to use later. For quicker retrieval, tags and metadata with keywords and descriptions can also be employed.
It’s also crucial to perform regular backups to always have two copies of each file. If, as often happens, the internal HD on your computer runs out of space, you’ll need to bring two external drives (preferably at least one SSD, since even quality hard disks can fail). During the flight, always carry one external drive in the hold and another in your hand luggage: if one bag is lost, you’ll always have a secure backup.
Editing and post-production
To best enhance the images, editing is used (which includes selection, cutting, and assembly) and then post-production (which includes white balance, color correction, stabilization, sharpness adjustment, and any effects).
Among the most common apps used are:
GoPro Quik: A native GoPro app, offering simplified editing with templates and basic color correction functions. Convenient for quick edits on the go via smartphone or tablet.
Final Cut Pro: A professional tool I personally use, excellent for advanced post-production. It has a very intuitive interface but is only available for Mac.
Adobe Premiere Pro: Industry leader, offering a wide range of tools, excelling in color correction and audio editing, and integrates well with other Adobe software.
DaVinci Resolve: Renowned for its excellent color correction, it is a powerful option that also offers a very complete free version.
iMovie: Ideal for beginner Mac users, it’s a free and easy program. Although limited in features, it allows creating good montages with basic tools.
Dive+: A dedicated app for divers, with tools focused on color correction for underwater footage, optimized to address typical lighting issues during dives.
Now, to give a general idea of what can be achieved with post-production, I will edit a clip of a green turtle shot during one of my recent liveaboards on the Princess Sara in the Maldives.
I will use Final Cut Pro, although the basic principles of post-production can be applied to other software as well.
Post-production is a complex art that requires study and dedication. To start using techniques and tools such as curves, levels, and masks, I recommend online specialized courses (many of excellent quality) and, above all, a lot of practice on the computer.
Import the clip and correct the exposure
I start by creating a project with the appropriate resolution settings; given the target output is a YouTube video, I set the resolution to Full HD (1920×1080 pixels). At this stage, I import the clip into the timeline and proceed to adjust the exposure utilizing the Color Wheels. The objective is to leverage the full available dynamic range, bringing the shadows close to 0 IRE and the highlights close to 100 IRE, while ensuring no detail is clipped in critical image regions.
To achieve this with precision, I activate the Luma Range Check tool. As I lower the shadows, the Range Check indicator will flash if any area falls below 0 IRE, thereby preserving detail.
The same procedure is applied to the highlights: I increase them incrementally, and the Range Check will flash if they exceed 100 IRE. I stop the adjustment just before critical highlight regions, such as fish scales or light-colored coral, begin to trigger the flashing indicator. Naturally, I am not concerned if specular highlights, such as the sun disc in a backlit shot, trigger the indicator, as this is an expected occurrence in such scenarios.
With the shadows and highlights appropriately established, I make a subtle adjustment to the Midtones to balance the overall exposure. This enhanced contrast results in a more impactful and well-defined image.
Improve the contrast
Now I move to refine the contrast using a more precise tool: the Color Curves. I focus on the Lum curve, which controls the overall luminance of the image. In this step, shaping the curve, I create the classic “S-curve” (or contrast curve): I slightly lower the point that manages the shadows (located in the lower left part of the curve) and slightly raise the highlights (in the upper right). I can also add intermediate points to better regulate the slope in the midtones. The effect is to increase the overall contrast, improving the separation between different tonal ranges. The result is a richer image, with greater depth and a stronger sense of three-dimensionality.
White balance
I now proceed to color balance. To speed up the process, I use the automatic “Balance Color” tool. I could do it manually, with greater control, using the Color Curves or the Color Board; however, based on my experience, this automatic tool provides satisfactory results only on underwater clips shot at shallow to moderate depths. On the other hand, in footage shot in deep water, especially those with subjects in the blue, it becomes almost useless or very limited. In these cases, it tends to introduce strong digital noise, which is difficult to correct without worsening the image.
Apply the custom LUT
After basic corrections, I apply a “Custom LUT” (Look-Up Table). LUTs are like “color translation tables”: they tell the software how to transform the original colors to achieve a specific visual effect. Online, you can find many LUTs, many of which are designed specifically for underwater environments and to counteract the typical blue and green color cast of dives. You can search for specific LUTs by typing “diving LUT” or “underwater LUT”. Generally, the most refined ones are often paid, but they offer more sophisticated results and are worth a small investment. While similar results can be achieved manually using curves and other tools, using a LUT significantly speeds up the workflow.
Selective correction with the magnetic mask
The LUT has improved the overall look of the image but has also introduced some unwanted effects: the white parts of the turtle have taken on a somewhat unnatural blueish cast. This happens because the LUT acts globally, modifying the entire image without distinction. This is where a powerful tool comes into play: the “Magnetic Mask”, which allows you to automatically select the main subject and separate it from the background. Thanks to the mask, I apply targeted corrections: I slightly increase the saturation of the oranges and reds on the shell and reduce the blue tones on its skin, restoring a more natural white appearance. Then, by inverted the mask, I modify only the background, correcting the blue cast for a more realistic result.
Noise reduction and final sharpness
We arrive at the final refinement stage of the image, focusing on two key aspects: noise reduction (a common issue in underwater footage) and the application of sharpness (which in the GoPro settings I intentionally set to the lowest level). Final Cut Pro offers built-in tools for both operations; however, to achieve higher quality results, I use third-party plugins like Neat Video, a professional tool renowned for its effectiveness in both noise reduction and enhancing sharpness
What is Neat Video?
Video noise, that annoying grain that appears in low-light footage or when using high ISOs, is every videomaker’s enemy. To solve this problem and drastically improve the quality of my work, I rely on Neat Video: a professional digital filter that integrates as a plug-in into the most popular video editing software.
Its strength is twofold: on one hand, thanks to its highly advanced algorithms, it “cleans up” noisy clips while perfectly preserving detail; on the other, it offers incredibly professional and selective control over sharpness, far superior to standard built-in filters. Since I started using it, I’ve been able to save countless clips that would have otherwise been unusable.
Post-production doesn’t work miracles
Below are some examples of my “before and after” clips showing how post-production definitely helps to correct colors, enhance details, and significantly improve the overall appearance of the videos.
However, it’s not magic and cannot salvage a poorly shot clip from the start, with shaky footage, blown-out lights, or badly framed subjects. Such clips will always remain of low quality, regardless of the software used.
The most important work is always done underwater: settings, composition, light management, buoyancy, and approach to the subject are the foundation for creating great videos, which then post-production refines, enhances, and makes recognizable in our style!