We’ve sent people to the Moon and we’ve put rovers on Mars (most people believe this unless they’re a conspiracy nut or a flat-Earther), but the oceans on our very own planet are still very much unexplored. And photographers are missing out on the beauty and biological diversity that await us in the Seven Seas because all that water gets in the way and distorts the colors of everything—from seahorses to corals.
Well, oceanographer Derya Akkaynak and engineer Tali Treibitz have created an algorithm called ‘Sea-thru’ (I’ll bet my right hand that this pun is definitely intended) that removes the water from underwater photographs. That way, you get all the hues and saturation that you’d expect from regular, professional landscape pics. Scroll down for Bored Panda’s interview with Alastair Bailey, who has done around half a thousand dives, about underwater photography.
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Two scientists created the ‘Sea-thru’ algorithm that alters underwater photos to show what the colors ‘really’ look like
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
What you need to know about water, besides that it’s wet and covers over two-thirds of the planet’s surface is that it scatters light at different wavelengths. This leads to underwater coral reef photographers capturing washed out images without the vibrant yellows and reds that you’d otherwise expect to sea.
Bored Panda reached out to DSD Divemaster Alastair Bailey who has done around 500 dives while working at Byron Bay Dive Centre. In an interview, he explained that underwater “you get light refraction making objects appear closer and larger, however after a couple of dives you start to account for this naturally.”
The algorithm color corrects the pics to show what marine life would look like on the surface
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
“The distance you can see is also affected by the water and any particles suspended in the water. Then as you go deeper light gets absorbed this starts with red.”
Bailey explained that the biggest challenges that underwater photographers face is the lack of visibility, as well as the absorption of light. “These work to reduce the clarity and contrast in photos. While you do get red filters these generally work only between certain depths, the second option is using high powered flashbulbs.”
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Akkaynak and Treibitz’s algorithm has far-reaching consequences for marine biologists who rely on accurate colors to count and classify species: now they’ll get a well-deserved break because machines will be able to do their time-consuming work for them.
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
While some people are incredibly excited by the scientists’ algorithm, others are less than enthusiastic. Some critics believe that removing the water from underwater photos makes them look bland. While others expressed the opinion that the algorithm is far from revolutionary because it involves ‘basic color correction.’
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
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Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
However, the ‘Sea-thru’ algorithm is very different from Photoshopping a photo to enhance the colors that water absorbs. The algorithm creates a “physically accurate correction,” which means that what you see is what you’d get if underwater plants and animals were on the surface.
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
But what do you think of the underwater algorithm, dear Pandas? Which photos do you prefer: the pics with the water or those with all the water removed? Let us know in the comments.
Here’s a video that goes into more detail about ‘Sea-thru’
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
Image credits: Derya Akkaynak
One of the researchers went into more detail about what the algorithm does
Here’s what some people had to say
Other internet users weren’t impressed
Source: boredpanda.com