Underwater Photography

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Muckle Flugga

And a wee hairy squat lobster Lauriea siagiani, from the same formation in the Banda Spice Islands.

It is the tiny details like this that are just fascinating aren't they!

I am accustomed to the gaudy colours of reef and friendly fish on the NE coast of Australia and was very disappointed there seemed nothing much to see here in the Med when snorkelling.

I was amazed today when I started looking with a photographer's eye and paused long enough to have fish and other creatures emerge. The fish here are a challenge I may never master. There were lots of brilliantly coloured Ornate wrasses on the reef at the entrance to the bay. I spent ages trying to snap a shot of one, figuring there would be a decent photo somewhere in that lot.


At least the red starfish did not dart about at lightning speed . I am still loading shots and looking at them, but there are a few good ones there at least.

SWL

[Seaworthy Lass]

This was an easy one to identify .

Red starfish (Echinaster sepositus)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinaster_sepositus

You can see the digital red filter does a good job. The White scroll algae is white with no tinge of pink or green. The background was in fact slighly green in patches:

[Muckle Flugga]

Alfred (the Great) hanging out by the port side propeller shaft of the Calvin Coolidge, at 65 meters. Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Muckle Flugga

And a wee hairy squat lobster Lauriea siagiani, from the same formation in the Banda Spice Islands.

What a colorful gem & crisp photo of the pink squat lobster! Would love to see a squat lobster, not sure if they're too common in the Caribbean.

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

It is the tiny details like this that are just fascinating aren't they!

Those hairy details remind me of a teeny crab I found living in a sponge crevasse. These little blue 'arms' moving caught my eye... he was only 1/2 inch big and hard to get a clear photo while getting buffeted by current.

He was even harder to identify. The photos revealed a critical detail in that the blue arms were feather-like dusters waving around that I couldn't see with my eyes. That helped identify him as a porcelain crab.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

I bet you are itching to get back in the water and photographing again.

I had a ball today. Yesterday was the first time I have seriously attempted photographing anything other than anchors, but that has given me a good grounding.

One other tip for anyone attempting this is to try and hold the camera as still as possible. This is one of the biggest challenges when free diving.

Yes I am. I can tell you're getting the bug quickly once you started looking up from those anchors.

There is fascination wherever you look depending on how you start to see things. I also love the scientific ID part of discovery (as you can tell) and then learning about habitat & behavior over time.

And it's true that holding the camera still is a biggie for underwater photos. I couldn't do it w/out a lot of weight to be negatively buoyant in moderate depths and also use a glove on my free hand to hold onto rocks where possible (nothing live!).

[Gradient]

We're a bit shark mad so here are some pics of our toothy mates, all taken in the Bahamas last winter.
Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Blacktip-Exumas

Great Hammerhead-Bimini

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Gradient

We're a bit shark mad so here are some pics of our toothy mates, all taken in the Bahamas last winter.
Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Blacktip-Exumas

Great Hammerhead-Bimini

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

Gradient, they are awesome!
What a fabulous first post. Welcome to CF .
Hope to see lots more photos from you.

No sharks here in the Med (or at least not enough to worry about), but I have a fascination too. Bronze Whalers are the only significant ones I have snorkelled with back in Australia, but reef sharks in a feeding frenzy were fascinating to watch as well once (from about 12m above them). My husband was not quite so thrilled to discover what I had found when I enthusiastically called him over .

SWL

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Gradient

We're a bit shark mad so here are some pics of our toothy mates, all taken in the Bahamas last winter.
Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Blacktip-Exumas

Great Hammerhead-Bimini

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

Tiger Shark-Grand Bahama

Carib Reef Shark-Grand Bahama

Great shark shots! Lovely clarity! Nice species range. Here's a little shot I took in a pass in the Tuamotu islands. Mostly greys, silvertip and longnose. Average around 6 feet long.

[Gradient]

Awesome!
Here are a few non sharky shots, yet to get strobes for the camera so lighting is always a challenge.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Muckle Flugga

Here's a little shot I took in a pass in the Tuamotu islands. Mostly greys, silvertip and longnose. Average around 6 feet long.

Beats starfish hands down .

SWL

[hoppy]

I saw a shark when diving in Egypt. I swam towards it only to be disappointed to find that it was a statue placed on the sea floor

Awesome starting contribution to the thread and forum

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Gradient

What camera/housing are you using?

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the in/out shot

[Gradient]

Hi Hoppy.

I use an Olympus EM-1 (mirrorless 4/3 camera) with a panasonic 7-14mm lens inside a nauticam housing! The dome port is a good size which makes it easier but it's still a lot of luck with the timing. I've got loads of under/overs with drops on the upper half ruining the shot!

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

It is the tiny details like this that are just fascinating aren't they!

I am accustomed to the gaudy colours of reef and friendly fish on the NE coast of Australia and was very disappointed there seemed nothing much to see here in the Med when snorkelling.

I was amazed today when I started looking with a photographer's eye and paused long enough to have fish and other creatures emerge. The fish here are a challenge I may never master. There were lots of brilliantly coloured Ornate wrasses on the reef at the entrance to the bay. I spent ages trying to snap a shot of one, figuring there would be a decent photo somewhere in that lot.


At least the red starfish did not dart about at lightning speed . I am still loading shots and looking at them, but there are a few good ones there at least.

SWL

It's definitely the little things. I love macro photography. If you look with a macro eye, almost anywhere can provide a fascinating dive, though it is rather sad how denuded of the larger species the Med has become…

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Gradient

Awesome!
Here are a few non sharky shots, yet to get strobes for the camera so lighting is always a challenge.

Loving the kids dual world and the bicycle… and of course the Bahamas famous sea pigs!

As to strobes, yes, they are very useful, though I mostly shoot with a steady beam now, with quick switch from red for night, though the latter is definitely less effective than constant reds with a strobe.