Underwater Photography

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Reach

Thx for the info on camera (& orchid finca). Looks like snook was the catch of the day on video.

The Snook were plentiful, but run it forward a bit...we caught & released some big tarpon too.

[Seaworthy Lass]

I don't know if Ringo ever went diving, but a "garden" is a very apt description of the homes octopii create.

All the ones I have seen (apart from temporary ones under anchors ) have been in pretty barren looking stretches of sand. From the surface, the classic giveaway is a little pile of shells and stones. It is not just the shells of live food that are brought back and eaten, I have seen empty shells moved to new locations when an octopus relocates. Home decoration?

This particular home was dug out under a small rock covered in growth. Note the variety of shells old and new and the delicate white tipped plant growing on the rock.

This was taken freediving at around 8m (26'), Sporades, Aegean, Greece, 4th Aug 2015:



The Beatles Octopus's Garden:

I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
In his octopus's garden in the shade

I'd ask my friends to come and see
An octopus's garden with me
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus's garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy and they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)

We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you

[Prairie Chicken]

I can't bring myself to eat octopus now after watching them underwater and then reading how intelligent they are. We had a particularly cute one with a fiesty personality make a home for himself under our fluke a couple of years ago.

Ah man! I hate it when I have to put another delicacy on my do-not-eat list!

As far as cameras are concerned, I have a real problem taking an expensive piece of kit into salt water. I just KNOW that housing is going to leak! Weavis put me onto the SJCAM, a Go Pro take-off, and after doing some research I got one of those for about $100 CAD. Like many of the action cameras it is designed primarily for video but will do stills as well. I've only used it for a few weeks last month but it seems to do the job with some post processing at home to boost contrast & adjust colours. I'm still coming to grips with the just-point-in-the-general-direction idea, but I can crop in post. FYI, in case there are others like myself who can't bring themselves to take thousands of dollars worth of electronics into salt water.

[Prairie Chicken]

These were actually taken from on deck on a very still morning, but I think they would still qualify. Taken June 2013 in Portals Vells, Mallorca.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Prairie Chicken

These were actually taken from on deck on a very still morning, but I think they would still qualify. Taken June 2013 in Portals Vells, Mallorca.

Jellyfish set my heart thumping each and every time, even more so than sharks do.

I am a wuss after a few painful welts over the years . I have no idea here in the Med which are the venomous ones, so I just usually stay clear of them all. Photography from the surface sounds like the best kind when it comes to jellyfish . The "fried egg" one was just too pretty to skirt around.

SWL

[Prairie Chicken]

Copy that SWL! There's a reason we always check the water from the decks before jumping in. Those are actually very small jellies, but they have a nasty sting.

[Kenomac]

Here in the Med, 100 meters from the boat.

[Kenomac]

It's alive!!! Taken today, 100 meters off the the bow.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Ken, do you know what they are?
Is the first a soft coral of some kind?

SWL

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Prairie Chicken

Copy that SWL! There's a reason we always check the water from the decks before jumping in. Those are actually very small jellies, but they have a nasty sting.

A couple of years ago, I went scuba diving off Menorca in jellyfish soup. It was probably the most awesome diving experience I've ever had, wish I had a camera. My dive buddy, a local Menorcan said.... "There's more jellyfish than water!" Our lips and my hands were burning for 12 hours, nothing horrible, but he got one in his mouth somehow. Again nothing horrible, we went diving again the next day. There were thousands of them within 15 ft of us and the long stringy tentacles were everywhere.... like being on an alien planet, I'd do it again without hesitation.

My wife and I used to be bee keepers.

[hoppy]

Does this shot count for this thread when only a third of the frame is underwater?

On my way back from a photo shoot with my anchor

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Ken, do you know what they are?
Is the first a soft coral of some kind?

SWL

Here's a more natural picture of "The Blob," clinging to a giant clam. I believe both are soft coral. Makes you wonder the age of the giant clams?

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

It's alive!!! Taken today, 100 meters off the the bow.

Cool... Is this you gopro with a light?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Cool... Is this you gopro with a light?

Gopro Hero 3+ with dive case and red filter. SeaLife SeaDragon double 1200, 2400 lumen video lights. Feels heavy on land, weightless underwater. I also have extension arms for the SeaDragon to have the lighting come from above. Might try using them tomorrow to see if I can get more of a 3D effect.

I use a 2kg weight belt, dive down to the bottom then swim up to the subject. The lights have a tendency to scare the fish, but I can usually get them used to the light when I use scuba and can go much slower than when I snorkel.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

A couple of years ago, I went scuba diving off Menorca in jellyfish soup. It was probably the most awesome diving experience I've ever had, wish I had a camera. My dive buddy, a local Menorcan said.... "There's more jellyfish than water!" Our lips and my hands were burning for 12 hours, nothing horrible, but he got one in his mouth somehow. Again nothing horrible, we went diving again the next day. There were thousands of them within 15 ft of us and the long stringy tentacles were everywhere.... like being on an alien planet, I'd do it again without hesitation.

That is the stuff of nightmares for me. Right along with dental visits .

Originally Posted by hoppy

Does this shot count for this thread when only a third of the frame is underwater?

On my way back from a photo shoot with my anchor

Beautiful photo! I have played around with those shots with little real success.