【Become a Master Instantly, No Help Needed】The Ultimate Tool for Black Background Macro Photography: Bubblescuba BB-S1

Underwater photography can be broadly divided into several categories: wide-angle, macro, blackwater, and portrait. Generally speaking, the first style most people encounter is macro photography. For one thing, the subjects are relatively straightforward to work with (nudibranchs move pretty slowly, ha), and for another, the lighting equipment required is simpler — unlike wide-angle shooting, which depends on multiple strobes and wide-angle lenses. This makes macro a lower barrier to entry for newcomers to underwater photography. The Olympus TG-5 has also been a real blessing for divers, allowing people to try their hand at macro photography on a relatively modest budget.

Macro Photography — Black Background Shots

But once you start shooting, you quickly realize that capturing a photo with genuine character requires more than just knowing your subject's behavior — knowing how to use your lighting effectively is an art in itself. The most common technique in macro photography is the black background style: by controlling how light falls on the subject, you create a look where the subject is brightly lit against a pitch-black background, making it pop. Traditionally, achieving this look required a strobe paired with an LSD (Light Shaping Device) kit, but the cost and bulk of that equipment can be off-putting for beginners. This time, the Editor is sharing some thoughts on using the Bubblescuba BB-S1 continuous light source to shoot black background macro shots.

Bubblescuba BB-S1 Features

Let's start with the Bubblescuba BB-S1's design. This Torch is impressively compact — it runs on a single 18650 battery and has just one button for power control. A long press adjusts the brightness level, making it extremely simple to operate. Now let's compare its size against a typical Torch!

The Bubblescuba BB-S1 comes with a focusing cone attachment that concentrates the beam into a tighter point. Apparently, the manufacturer has recently released an upgraded version — the BB-S1 PRO — which uses a focusing lens to concentrate the light even more efficiently. The resulting light spot is reportedly the sharpest on the market today, with an EV16 light output level. At a shutter speed of 1/100, you can shoot at apertures of f16–f18, making it ideal for capturing ultra-sharp macro images!

Now let's take a look at the focusing cone's effect. In the photos below, the Bubblescuba BB-S1 is positioned approximately 10 cm above a tabletop, where a Shiba Inu figurine about 2 cm in size has been placed as a reference subject. You can clearly see how fitting the focusing cone concentrates the beam into a single spot (underwater, the ambient halo is reduced even further, making the beam even more focused).

Now let's check out the stunning light spot performance of the Bubblescuba BB-S1 PRO — looks like the wallet is about to take another hit!

After looking at the hardware, let's see just how easy the Bubblescuba BB-S1 makes it to shoot black background shots. As mentioned above, a long press on the button adjusts the brightness. The following two images compare the maximum and minimum brightness settings. For these shots, the Editor used an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II paired with the OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5–6.3 EZ in macro mode.

Bubblescuba BB-S1 — Black Background Shooting Techniques

Getting a black background shot with the Bubblescuba BB-S1 is actually quite straightforward. Here are the settings the Editor used:

• ISO: 200

• EV: -0.7 ~ -2.0

• EPS: Spot focus

• Aperture: f8

Because the Bubblescuba BB-S1 is so compact, you can position it at different angles to create a variety of moods — but nail that black background look and you're already halfway there, haha!

After the Editor's very amateur above-water test shots, it's time for the pros to show what this light can really do. The following photos were taken by one of Joe's students shooting with a TG-5 and Bubblescuba BB-S1 for the very first time — results like these on a first attempt are genuinely jaw-dropping! Joe has also exclusively shared his recommended camera settings so everyone can start capturing beautiful shots quickly.

TG-5 Macro Mode Settings

• EPS: Spot focus

• ISO 200

• Zoom in 4.0

• EV -0.7 ~ -2.0

TG-5 A Mode Settings

• With AOI UCL-900 / UCL-06 Macro Lens

• EPS: Spot focus

• ISO 200

• Zoom in 4.0

• f6.3–f18

• EV -0.7 ~ -2.0

The following images were shot by Joe using an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II with the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm F2.8 Macro lens and the AOI UCL-09 (+12.5 Close-up Lens) — the results are absolutely stunning!

Recommended E-M1 Mark II Settings:

• Aperture: 16–20

• Shutter speed: 1/80–1/200

• ISO: Low

Related links:

• Bubblescuba Underwater Photography Equipment — Taiwan Distributor

• AOI Official Website

• When Music Meets Underwater Photography: The Creative Challenge of Finding Over 400 nudibranchs on Green Island — Joe Chang

• Joe Chang's Personal Facebook