“Taking Care of the Blues”

Here’s a question I’ve received a number of times, in various forms: “When I look at published photos by professional underwater photographers, they look vibrant, with the ocean a rich, natural blue, and colors that pop. My wide-angle photos, although I’m pretty good at finding nice scenes, just don’t look like that, but seem kind of flat and thin, with no rich colors and little contrast. I use decent equipment and an underwater strobe, so the secret can’t be the camera gear. Is there anything you can suggest I do that might make a difference?”