Blue Banded Goby Images?

I have made it out to Catalina to dive Casino Point one weekend in April, for the last four years Each time I tell myself I am going to get a good photo of the ubiquitous Blue Banded Gobys. Each time I am disappointed. Here was my latest effort. It is workmanlike, but leaves me uninspired. Does anyone have any GOOD images of these guys?

As usual, click on the images for more details.

Steve,

There really isn't much you can do with a BBG other than take a portrait. Diagonal shots like your second are very colorful and pretty. Now if we could just get the little b*stards to sit still on something interesting...or bunch up...

Jim

Steve, actually, I think your second shot is one of the better I've seen. To find them bunched up, look around the large black urchins...I'm sure you have discovered that already

I was there this last weekend and I'll post a couple of my own if they came out in focus.

I was there this last weekend and I'll post a couple of my own if they came out in focus.

It sounds like we were there together, although on Saturday it was quite a zoo. The second image is okay, but it is a pretty drastic crop. It looks okay at web resolution, but not for anything much bigger. I was shooting at 100mm and couldn't get close enough to fill the frame without scaring them off. The first image mostly fills the frame. It was mildly cropped to change aspect ratio and to eliminate some of the uninteresting rock background. I also brought my Macromate wet diopter which was wishful thinking. It is hard enough to use on stationary subjects. For something as skittish as BB Gobies, it is impossible.

Hi Steve,

Have you considered using a lens with a longer working distance - so you don't have to get so close? You might look at the Sigma 180mm or Nikon 200mm

Cheers

James

James,

Using a longer lens to gain working distance is a good idea. I could add another lens to my bag, but it is already getting pretty heavy. It does however brings up an interesting idea. I already have a 70-300mm DO lens that I had never considered using underwater since the front element moves in and out quite a distance. I'll bet I could fix it around 200mm and give it a try. Next time

Hi Steve,

I have that lens too. I don't know about close focus at that focal length, but give it a try!

I'd suggest using some tape to keep it at the zoom you're interested it. That lens tends to flop open or at least mine does... No jokes please from the peanut gallery :-)

Cheers

James

Great minds think alike. I too was thinking that it would require duct tape to keep it at a fixed focal length.

My suggestions for the BBG is to get down low for the photos - or look for one on a ledge that is at eye level.

This is one of my favorites so far.

Here's another one that was a little overexposed. I'll have to see if I can salvage something from the .raw file.

David

I'll be there in two weeks on business. I've never been to Catalina but have read all about the dive park. My only question is how far down are these guys. I'll probably be diving solo so I usually don't go below 60ft when I'm doing that.

My only question is how far down are these guys. I'll probably be diving solo so I usually don't go below 60ft when I'm doing that.

Blue Banded Gobys are typically found in the shallows. You will see lots of them between 10-40ft. They like rocky substrate more than sand. On the breakwater, there are some vertical rocks which make nice backdrops. They like to tease you by staying very still until you get within their personal distance which is around 3ft. Then they disappear in a flash. Be careful not to overexpose. They are so brilliantly colored it is easy to blow out the blue channel.

Another subject to keep your eye out for is the Juvenile Garabaldi. They are are also orange with bright blue/purple spots and typically are found in the shallows.

Be careful of the stair entry. It is deceptively simple when the tide is high, but can be treacherous when the tide is low since there are big slippery rocks right at the bottom of the stairs. At high tide you can float over them. At low tide, the surge smashes you right into them. I can't for the life of me figure out why they don't clear them out to make a clear drop off at the bottom of the stairs. It would lower the accident rate by an order of magnitude!

Cool...sounds like I have a date with a blue-banded Goby! Thanks for the exit advice...sounds like I'll have to take the tide into account.