Underwater photo presets: how to choose the right one
An underwater preset works best when it starts from a scene similar to yours. Depth, water colour, subject distance and artificial light matter more than the camera brand.
There is no universal underwater preset
A flash-lit macro photograph and a whale at fifteen metres in ambient light have completely different colour problems. Using the same recipe on both means rebuilding most of the edit afterwards.
Choose by water type first
Start by separating blue water, green water and scenes mainly lit by flash. Then narrow the choice by depth and subject.
Then choose by scene
Wide-angle presets should protect the water while recovering the subject. Macro presets should preserve flash colour and detail. For large marine life, avoid excessive saturation and keep greys and whites neutral.
Preset intensity is part of the edit
100% is not automatically the correct value. If the result is close but too strong, lower preset intensity before dismantling the edit control by control.
Abyssal preset library
Abyssal now includes 28 presets organised into favourites, landscapes, divers, macro, marine life and black & white, including options for Mediterranean water, green water, cenotes, freediving, whales, mantas, sharks and night diving.
Open Abyssal, choose the preset closest to your scene and adjust its intensity before changing the manual controls.
Open free editorFrequently asked questions
Which preset should I use for green water?
Start with Green Water Natural or Green Water Clean; for shallow turtles use Turtle Near Surface Green Water.
Which preset is best for macro with flash?
Macro Flash keeps white-balance recovery restrained and focuses more on contrast, blacks, colour and detail.
Is 100% preset intensity always best?
No. Intensity is part of the edit and should be adapted to the photograph.