Requesting Help Reviewing Images

Hi,

This is an update to a previous thread that I didn’t explain very well. I have posted some images on Flickr and would like your honest opinion on them. Let me tell you a little bit about us so you have a reference point to make some judgments.

I love the ocean, everything about it. I love diving on our precious reefs day or night especially at night. I would like to have images to share that express some of the wonder and awe that I feel every time I have the rare opportunity to enter Neptune’s realm. I have been diving for forty years and bringing back images on film for about thirty. My son Jeff, whose images are also posted, has only been certified for ten years. He is a PADI dive instructor and enjoys sharing his love for the ocean with new divers and “works†at a dive shop while he’s going to the University.

What we’d like you to do is find ten minutes to relax with a glass of wine and go to our Flickr page linked below, take a good look and tell us what you think. What to expect; my favorite type of image takes a while to sink in. It should draw you in and make you feel better for having seen it. This style of photography is best seen big with a black background. If you can take the time, open the Neptune’s Art set in the slideshow and let it sink in. All the images are from film, shot with a Nikonos, if I modified the image with PS I note that. Most are what I call “As Shotâ€, meaning not modified.

What you won’t see; There are no rare never before seen species from Lembeh, never been there. We don’t take images to sell to magazines or books. Stephen, Alex, and others are masters of the art. We’re not trying to compete with them. We’re not trying to compete with anybody, except maybe ourselves.

Since I promised it would only take 10 minutes I’ve prepared a typically slanted wetpixelian multiple choice answer for those in a hurry.

a. Yuck. You’re wasting your money and my time.

b. Looks like everyone else’s stuff, get a better web cam.

c. I liked some of them, I can see potential there, You should take a class from Eric.

d. Wow! Time to buy the best digital equipment you can afford and have some fun. See Simon if you need help with the fun part.

e. Pretty Impressive stuff! You should retire and move to the UK, you can carry Alex’s bags.

f. Oh my God! You should definitely quit your job and move to Yap. Veitch will be happy to give you a job. The Nature Conservancy is looking for some new images to raise money.

I’m hoping you have a little more time and can help us cull the herd (that’s Arizona speak for our friends in kilts) Are there images that don’t belong? Is there an image you really like? Thank you in advance for helping us out. Hope you enjoy.

Steve

d. and then I expect you'll move to e. or f. in no time.

Seriously, some great images. I really like the grouper at night and the featherduster colony, but I think all are stellar images you can be proud of.

LOL on the options

On first blush there are many very very nice shots in there. So personally how I see them you are in (d) to (f) easily I think though sometimes between (d) to (f) there are always a matter of opinion and choice. But there is no doubt (again to me) that some of the photos could hang in in some of the dive magazines I see and I enjoyed looking at them alot.

I love your pics esp the cold water stuff. If your like me, we are lucky to do this for the love of it. We shoot what we like, and what turns us on. If others like it ,so much the better. Its always a great ego booster to share.

I love the options! haha...

Cept i don't live in Yap anymore so can't give you a job

You certainly have a nice eye, and the lighting is soft and not overpowering which i like. I do like that night shot grouper.

Nice body of work and something to be proud of

we are lucky to do this for the love of it. We shoot what we like, and what turns us on. If others like it ,so much the better.

Thank you guys, So far I"m going with D. I really appreciate you responding and the kind words. It means a lot coming from you guys. See, now I can tell my wife that the pros on Wetpixel all said I had to get a new housing! Mike, sorry I had you still in Yap, I was mislead by your the words under your avitar. Having fun now! Any body else want to join in?

Steve

Steve, lovely stuff. I'd vote the d+ rating too.

Maybe your rating system could become the standard for wetpixelodians to use. Rather than a, b etc they could be 1 starfish, 2 starfish etc

If you do go the digi route, you've got all the exposure skills to make the most of digital capture. You'll then be blown away at the possibilities that dig offers, so we'll all be waiting with anticipation to see the results!

darren

Nice intro! That definitely will incite responses.

But I don't see a link to a gallery anywhere. Is it just me?

This is the one linked from your profile:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neptunesart/

But I don't see a link to a gallery anywhere. Is it just me?

 

This is the one linked from your profile:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neptunesart/

Thanks Eric. the link is down in the signature Says "My images on Flickr" I'll see if I can change the font or something to make it more obvious.

Steve

You have some wonderful stuff there, Steve. My favorites: Octopus Real Close and the Moon Jelly. You also did an incredible job of getting the anemonefish with a framer!

Don't quit now!

Linda

IMHO you have some nice stuff. You look like you have the right idea and they will definately continue to improve. Some nice contrasts with the negative space which is something I think a lot of people forget.

Well, and drinking a little wine after your day of diving couldn't hurt any of us either. ; )

Cheers

Todd

. You also did an incredible job of getting the anemonefish with a framer!

Linda

Thanks, Steve

Hey guys, this is Jeff, Steve's son. I just wanted to say thankyou for taking the time to review our photos and thankyou for the kind words. I know I am looking forward to playing with the new gear in Bonaire in June.

Hey Steve.....DDDDDDefinately a d+++

Went through your pics in peace and loved most of them. Obviously you have an affinity towards the artistic and the abstract apart from using light and shadow. And those are the pics i liked the most.

I would think that you need to achive "satori" in these kind of pictures and concentrate on taking similar pictures only. It is sometimes desirable to take a pause a long one if necessary and completely absolve yourself from taking U/W pictures. Jump then in the water with a different mindset and a different approach to taking those same pic's...and e, f will be a piece of cake

Well the above thoughts and input are from a complete novice to U/W photography so feel free to trash them

Cheers,

Diggy

I'll have to study up on "satori". Is it anything like "being one with the reef" at complete peace? I work on that and take my best shots when I let the images come to me. If I start "hunting" the reef feels different and the fish sense the stress and act differently. If we ever get to dive together I'll teach you my Manta matra. It works too, calls them right in. Jeff is upset with me, I didn't fully explain how he got the anemone fish framer shot. In the earlier post I had said' You have to be quick" he said I left out the part where you watch where the fish likes to hang out then put the framer there and wait twenty minutes. Then when she swims into position "You have to be quick" he said if you do that about twenty times you should get the shot.

Steve

Steve ... I think your shots are beautiful - well composed (and mainly in the camera, which is admirable), well exposed, with gorgeous color, lighting and crisp focus.

One comment I have (and this applies broadly to UW photographs I see) is that there is almost universally a deep depth of field.

I like stuff like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neptunesart/2...57603647768155/

where the focus draws you in to the subject. (if you've seen any of my recent fake tilt shift stuff, you know I've finally gone too far with this idea!)

I'd also like to see more wide shots - you have an interesting eye for shapes and colors and I think you could bring something interesting to wide angle stuff.

And lastly ... I'm interested in how you digitized your stuff. Did you scan prints or film? I wish I could see them at higher resolution to get a better sense of how well they fared in that process. Some - like this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/neptunesart/2...57603647768155/ look like they might be a little "overprocessed", but I really can't tell from the image on flickr. I'm sure the original source looks great and I'm just wondering how it got from film to flickr.

Bottom line if you are looking for encouragement - keep it up! Your an artist with a great eye and a terrific medium. I hope to myself and look forward to sharing new images for years to come!

Did you scan prints or film? I wish I could see them at higher resolution to get a better sense of how well they fared in that process. I'm just wondering how it got from film to flickr.

Steve