Spawning

It's a been a few months since I did a dusk dive here and last night made it worth the wait, here are a few from it. It was so busy down there that hard to breath was the reason I had to come back! (Oh all are spawning)

Nice work

I like the saturation on the background and the exposure on the fishies themselves seems perfect. Lovely!

Would you mind giving some shooting info on the last shot (the angels)? I especially like the strobe/ambient balance on that shot!

All the best,

Chris

Well done, very good blue background and good lightening

I like the saturation on the background and the exposure on the fishies themselves seems perfect. Lovely!

 

Would you mind giving some shooting info on the last shot (the angels)? I especially like the strobe/ambient balance on that shot!

 

All the best,

Chris

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What info would you like?

I can't give you the photo setting, but here are the biological stats.

The French angels really fade during courtship and are much more grey/brown than the almost black colour they are in the day. So don't be misled by the colour - this is how they look.

This image shows the initial courtship, where the male accomanpies the (smaller) female on a bobbing swim. When she is ready to spawn - and the courtship lasts for a long time (to allow her eggs to hydrate) - the pair swim upwards on a long spawning rise with the male nuzzling the abdomen on the female from underneath. This often takes them 10m or so up away from the reef, where the spawning occurs.

Great pix, Patrick.

Alex

By the way, Patrick, your latest Christmas tree worm on your website is even better than the other one.

Alex

I can't give you the photo setting, but here are the biological stats.

The French angels really fade during courtship and are much more grey/brown than the almost black colour they are in the day. So don't be misled by the colour - this is how they look.

This image shows the initial courtship, where the male accomanpies the (smaller) female on a bobbing swim. When she is ready to spawn - and the courtship lasts for a long time (to allow her eggs to hydrate) - the pair swim upwards on a long spawning rise with the male nuzzling the abdomen on the female from underneath. This often takes them 10m or so up away from the reef, where the spawning occurs.

 

Great pix, Patrick.

 

Alex

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Great information Alex.

I would love to see more information on individula species and behaviours or environments to find them in. Very useful.

Very cool work. Now the big Q....Was that last night in another part of the world ? I mean, I see light in the water, man! Late afternoon? As you said, dusk. I am amazed that the water looks so dayish even after sunset.

Joe

What info would you like?

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Just exposure (f, shutter, iso) and lens ... as mentioned elsewhere, the water is beguiling, esp. for a dusk dive.

Just curious, and trying to imitate the best when I can.

Don't trouble yourself if it's inconvenient to grab the exif.

Enjoyed the shots, and Alex' narrative, very much.

Cheers,

Chris

I was shooting with a Sigma 28-70 and shot at the 60MM range, f-stop 5.6 and shutter 1/80th tilting up gives that blue look, as there is still about 30- minutes of light left before the sunsets (have to thank Alex for the tilt up thing)

I'm going to try and do a few more of these dives from now on, but it is winter here and the water is a freezing 79-f!! Also am looking for some different things not just the Hamlets.

Sorry for not answering but I did not get the notifications for replies.

To continue the technical discussion - it is not always as easy as Patrick makes out!

I often find that I am using much longer shutter speeds to balance light, while still getting good depth of field. Despite using upward camera angles.

I always shoot at base ISO for these shots - because however good your Noise Reduction is - your base ISO is always your best quality image. And take the responsibility on me to hold the camera steady.

These angels were one of my favourites from last year - shot at F7.1 @ 1/10th

And these hamlets, taken this year were at a very similar F7.1 @ 1/15th

Hope this adds something.

Alex

Fantastic shots. Is spawning a behavior that occurs year-round at dusk or are there particular seasons when this occurs.

Thanks for the info, Patrick and Alex.

It's a daily routine for the most part, at times it's very busy down there, other times very quite, but I've never been and not seen something spawning, again sometimes it's crazy and you really have so much to choose from, other times you have to look and stick with the one or two things you find. I've been at full moons, half moons etc and it always varies.

Great shots Parick!

Spawning: The action is not only in the afternoon (dusk), as there are many species that spawn only in early morning (dawn). In a tropical place like the Caymans, spawning occurs year round, but in higher latitude locations like Florida there is a peak of activity during the summer.

Luiz