Some macros from Port Phillip Bay

[stiebs]

The last time I took out my macro I made the stupid mistake of mounting my 55-200mm telephoto instead of my 80mm f/2.8!!  They are very similar size, but the macro is a lot heavier. I though it a bit odd when I got underwater and it just wouldn't focus on anything! I thought I may have left the focal range limiter on the wrong setting. Was also a bit odd that the front of the housing was a bit floaty. They say you should only make a mistake once, so hopefull this was it 🙂

This time I was even more certain to mount the correct lens, and also to ensure that the aperture ring was on A, and the focal limiter set correctly. All of these settings can only be done before closing the housing, and any of them being set wrong will result in a dive carrying around a useless housing!

Anyway, on to the photo haul for the dive. I don't seem to take as many photos in a dive than I used to. And I seem to have the same number of keepers per dive. Hopefully that means I'm getting better 🙂

Any critique on any aspect - composure, framing, lighting, post-processing is welcomed and appreciated

Equipment

• Fujifilm XT-3 in Nauticam NA-XT3 housing
• 2x Inon Z240
• Fujinon XF80/f2.8 Macro

For most of these shots I kept the camera on ISO320, SS 1/60, adjusting aperture and flash output / positioning.  Most of these photos are between f/7.1 and f/10.

 

 

 

[Chris Ross]

Some nice shots there, some similar subjects to what we get in Sydney.  As far as critique goes, I would suggest adjusting the black and white points in to meet the edge of the histogram, it gives the images a little more punch. 

[stiebs]

Thanks @Chris Ross .. thanks for the feedback. I actually think I usually over-edit my photos, so in this post I've gone for a more conservative effect

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[TimG]

Yep, nice! My suggestion would be to shoot up as much as you can rather than level or shooting down. 

[Pooley]

A nice set, and the reposts  are  definitely moving in the  right direction. 

I'd try and keep a closer  eye the white balance - I had a play with a  couple and  needed to  do WB alterations each time.

The ray shot is just a white balance adjustment, then  moving the blacks slider further along. I  don't mind   the  background losing details on this occasion, just make sure  you  don't block any details on the actual subject.

With the  following shot  I did a WB adjustment but greens  and cyans  remained  in the sand so I used  a selective  saturation  adjustment  to remove them.  Set  black and white  points,  used a dodge and burn technique to lighten  the sand then boosted the colours a little  (maybe too  much)

These are only  pointers, not the be all and end  all by any stretch, but maybe  something  to  look at

Mike

Edited December 23, 2023 by Pooley

[Pooley]

Sorry for the autocorrect spelling errors! I can only seem to edit the shots and  not  the text

[TimG]

Mike, if you click on the 3-dot ellipsis on the right hand side that should offer you a menu which includes Edit.