5ft. Loggerhead Turtle

Hi all,

I'm new to posting at wetpixel but I've been doing some underwater photography for a few years for my friends and dive buddies. Last week I was diving off of Key West, FL and just as my buddy and I were getting ready to go back to the boat I spotted a 5ft. loggerhead turtle swimming along the reef. We were lucky enough to swim along with him for about 10 minutes while he was hunting his lunch (of course at a distance as to not distract or harass it but close enough to

get some pictures). It swam into a small 10-15 ft. deep coral canyon and after

chomping at some fish in the corner, it had to swim back where it came from so

we dropped to the sand and had it swim about two feet over our heads! Anyway, I got a few pictures and thought you all might have some interest in seeing one. Comments are always appreciated but remember I'm a newbie (I think my description is "brine shrimp" for the forum so be kind).

Thanks and if people aren't too rough on me I have what I think are some other nice pictures from the dive.

Cheers,

Randall

Hey Randal.

I would like to know the camera you have that is a big help.

There are a lot of good things about the pic, you really filled the frame nicely. there is a great diagnal the way the turtle was framed, a clear subject and the exposure and sharpness are good.

Couple of basic rules: Keep in mind these are not set in stone there is always a time to go against these rules but overall:

It is better to not shoot down on a subject. Even or shooting up is usually better. Also is it prefered to get your subject swimming toward you and not away. Your picture is not that bad for this but might have more impact facing the camera. Being 5ft as you said it would be nice to get a sense of scale on the turtle with another diver or some fish. The last thing I notice is what seems like sand on his back that distracts my eye a little, not sure you had much control regarding this or lighting but thought I would point it out. Hope this helps or makes sense.

Hi,

Thanks for the wonderful comments. Actually, with my set up it's amazing I even get a picture ). I have a Canon Powershot A80 4Mpixel camera with the Canon WP-DC900 underwater enclosure. The camera doesn't have a sync port so I have a Epoque strobe with a fiber optic cable that triggers off the flash (the Canon enclosure is clear plastic so I had to use black tape to block off the flash portion of the enclosure with just the tab for the fiber optic cable still exposed (got terrible

backscatter when the flash went off triggering the strobe)). I have the Sea & Sea

fiberglass tray and arm that allows the strobe to sit approximately 10 inchs in

any direction from the camera. I also use Photoshop CS to do some post processing of remaining particulates, blue-elimination, etc. So overall it's a pretty

cheap set up with a very small camera. )

Thanks again. Also you might want to check out my website. I've got a lot of underwater pictures there but keep in mind that some of the pictures are from the very beginning of my learning curve (check out the nurse shark picture I have on the site compared to the one I have above).

Randall

Being 5ft as you said it would be nice to get a sense of scale on the turtle with another diver or some fish.

Hi,

I did get one perspective shot with my dive buddy in the background (about 5-10ft. away looking at it) but figured people wouldn't be that thrilled with a turtle's back side (see attached).

Randall

The last thing I notice is what seems like sand on his back that distracts my eye a little, not sure you had much control regarding this or lighting but thought I would point it out.

Hi,

I also went back and checked out the series of my shots and the "sand" was the coloration of his shell (plus maybe some sand but I didn't bring along my duster and I think it would be considered harrassment in the state of Florida if I did dust him off or apply some makeup before I shot his picture ). They're not the prettiest of turtles in the ocean.

Thanks again for the comments,

Randall

With that set up you are really doing awesome. Two reccomendations after looking at your pages:

1 Consider a DSLR set up - D100 and D70's and housings will be cheap and avail this year, best value for the money my opinion. You are ready, you have the passion and you get close and fill your frames well.

2. Stop shooting down, shoot up more, look at lots of pics and read some UW photography books to get ready for a DSLR setup.

Your basic composition skills are there you can be really great when you get used to a DSLR set up.

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback. I'd like to get a DSLR and it's definitely on my Christmas list but for now being an amateur diver, and even more amateur photographer (I live in Vermont so I'm limited to my "warm water dives"), I'm just, as you said, working on the composition skills. I also appreciate the tip on looking up. Something I don't do enough; partly due to always working on my buoyancy skills as well, don't want to do damage to a reef getting down to close focused on the subjects. I'm an AOW diver with about 110 dives under my belt and as you can guess, the more comfortable I am in the water the closer and better my photography is getting.

I really do appreciate the comments and the advice.

Randall

P.S. I'm also exploring the photo books. I have Cathy Church's newest book for composition ideals and two books on underwater photography by Jack and Sue Drafahl on the mechanics of underwater photography. Any additional books you recommend?

My favorites are Howard Hall's succesfull U.W photograhy and Norbert Wu's "How to Photography U.W". Read everything but these books are good especially Norbert's, it is a must have. There is a post about what's on your bookshelf, if you search you should find it for more great ideas.