ACHiPo

@ChipBPhoto Chip, I loved CocoView. I was there for two weeks in April. Water was warm enough I dove in rash guard and/or trunks and a tee, although some folks dove in wetsuits or Sharkskin. Their dive operation is first rate--incredible organization and very well run. Diving was great as well. I've heard from others that Roatan is not as good as it used to be. While that may be true, I still found a lot of stuff to photograph and really enjoyed my time at "Scuba Camp' (a nickname that pretty accurately describes the experience--definitely not bougie!)m. I ended up diving 3x/day which was a good balance of diving, processing, and recovery/rest time for me. I wanted a place that would allow quite a bit of repetitive diving so I could study and learn critter behavior. I also wanted access to some great photography training as it was my innaugural outing with my underwater camera. Finally I wanted someplace that was safe, clean, with good food. CocoView Resort checked all the boxes. I was just learning photography, so shot mostly with my 14-42 Olympus micro 4/3 kit lens. I did shoot some macro with the help of Mickey Charteris, and there are certainly many suitable macro subjects. I did not shoot CFWA as I didn't have the proper lens/dome, although there were sites that could be pretty good for CFWA although some mediocre vis. days made macro or 12-42 shooting a good choice. If it was easier to get to for me, I could see going there 1-2 times a year. Unfortunately even though it's not as far as the Pacific, the two 3-5 hour flights with layover makes for a pretty tiring travel night even when riding up front. Evan

Bill, Did you try the "180" (actually more like 160 as it tilts slightly up)? I got one and used it some for macro in Monterey and it seemed like a big improvement. Wondering how it will be in Lembeh on muck macro and blackwater? Thanks, Evan

Mark, Thanks. I sent you an IM. Let me know if you’re interested in selling your OM-1 and housing after you get your Sony up and running. Evan

Great video for a first attempt! I plan to try video with my E-M10 next week in Lembeh with my 60 mm and 30 mm macro lenses (30 mm for blackwater). Wish me luck. I sent you an IM question about your upgrade plan. Evan

Wahrmut, Some beautiful shots! Nice! Evan

How legit/safe is Myanmar? The trip that could work for me leaves from Ranong, Myanmar and returns to Ranong, Thailand (are they twin cities?). It looks like it's about 6 hours from Rangon to Phuket? I'll end up having about 5 days to get from Rangon to Phuket, so may do a little land tourism.

@bghazzal thank you! This is very helpful! A couple live-aboards that look appealing to me are the Andaman Queen and Vela, both look pretty posh, but no idea how photo-centric they are. Someone recommended Smiling Seahorse as a good photo-centric boat—definitely seems more basic accommodation but it could be ok if there are good photo guides and I can get a single room without paying for two people.

I'll be sailing with friends from Phuket to Langkawi late February-early March, 2027. We'll largely be sailing on the east side of Phuket, so while the diving may be ok, we won't be hitting Richelieu Rock, etc. on the west side. I'd like to come in a week or so early (pretty flexible) to dive and photograph the Andaman Sea. I've read several reports about the diving being good to great, but the crowds and divers make it a not-so-pleasant experience. I'll likely be a single traveler. I'm not crazy about the idea of a liveaboard, but would be willing to go that route if the boat, crew, guides, and diving are great (and avoid crowds). Also looking for photo guides, either private or small group. What reputable companies or resorts should I reach out to? Thanks in advance, Evan

Hi Stephen, Welcome. I’m in E. Bay. Been diving for 40 years, but are new to underwater photography and even newer to CA diving. Look forward to running into you one of these days. Evan

Really nice pictures. Thank you!

Outstanding! What were you shooting?

Certainly the episode on Anand Varna and his innovative way of telling stories about macro subjects. Amazing!

Not sure where to post this, but I came across an excellent series on Disney+ from National Geographic called “Photographer”. Not technically underwater related although the first episode certainly touches on it in addition to conservation. Nat Geo Photographer

@Mike Saunders Better luck tomorrow!

Mike, Thanks! It makes sense that the ring light would falloff pretty quickly with distance. How did your experiment supplementing with strobes go? Did you use the ring light in strobe mode?

Thank you for sharing. What fantastic, and creepy, creatures!

This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing! Looking forward to meeting and hopefully working with Simon in July!

Another vote for Prescription Dive Masks.

PM sent

Pics?

That’s what I’m currently using. Just wondered if making the HF-1 more neutral on its own might make it easier to use.