New to this board - here is a Goldentail Moray

Well I am guessing quite a few of you know me for other boards, but I have only been lurking here... So as a way of introduction I thought I'd start out with an image.

Goldentail Moray with a Coral Frame in Cozumel, Mexico

Fuji S2Pro, Ikelite Housing, F16, 1/60, EQ=ASA100, Dual Strobes

Marriard

Hi Paul,

Thanks for posting! Since you get so much time in the water, I'm sure you have a lot of tips to share w/ us. I'm going to start picking your brain about lenses pretty soon for my S2.

I like your moray shot a lot. Did you shoot it in Manual strobes or TTL?

Cheers

James

Thanks for posting!  Since you get so much time in the water, I'm sure you have a lot of tips to share w/ us.  I'm going to start picking your brain about lenses pretty soon for my S2.

 

I like your moray shot a lot.  Did you shoot it in Manual strobes or TTL?

 

No problem.

 

This Moray was shot with both strobes on half power I believe. It is also possible that I had one of the strobes on TTL (which is an effect and method I like a lot) and the other on 1/2 power.

 

I use this method a lot - which is easier than dialing in some flash exposure compensation for different reflective subjects. You can 'fool' the TTL by getting an exposure you like by 1/2 powering one strobe for normal subjects like this one, then dialing it down or up for various subjects. For example a barracuda comes by - I turn the 1/2 power down to 1/4 or 1/8th and it wont blowout the subject. 1/8th power or off for white sand. Full power for a darker subject. Something worth experimenting with as it can be quicker than trying to set the camera and it has the same effect.

 

I also have been known to set strobes to the same power and then compensating by strobe distance - you can get a full 2-3 stops by changing strobe positons. You can often change your exposure dramatically without having to touch the camera settings at all.

 

M

Hmm.. Yes, I totally agree with you. On friday I was diving on the Yukon, which is deep dark, and covered w/ white metridium anemones. I had both of my strobes at 1/2 power and I found that I was holding my left strobe and pointing it off to the side away from the subject to get dim edge lighting. That helped to not burn the anemones out and I enjoyed playing w/ the strobe aiming. Or I could have just been narked... I'll post some shots asap. Also interesting was that I was shooting ISO400 for the wreck dive.

I haven't shot Macro since I got back from Hawaii, but I think I will try shooting some half power on my right strobe and/or going for some edge lighting on my next trip (less than a month away).

Thanks for the tip Paul.

Cheers

James