Uk Diving Photos

I think the Tompot shot Rocks Tristan

 

Last time I dived under Swanage pier was a few years ago and there was an army of Spider Crabs there some of them were huge.

 

I know this is off topic but can any of you Hampsire / Dorset wetpixies let me know what it takes to get a licence to take a camera in at Studland bay to get shots of the Seahorses.

I've been in touch with the Seahorse Rangers and been invited to help in their tagging program but when I bought up the subject of photography they were horrified and gave me a wide berth saying I needed a licence but couldn't let me know how to get one.

 

Nige Wade

Thanks Nige,

Personally I would have like the perspective to be a little more from below, but I was already scraping the seabed away to get the angle I did Still, I am reasonably happy with the shot as it was my first sighting of a Tompot. There are a few spiders down there as well as some velvet swimmers, a couple of small edible and a rather large lobster but he was so far under some rocks I could not get anything more than a claw

Guys I know have been diving there and looking for Seahorses, (without luck),but I was not aware that you need a licence to shoot them. It's funny how the fishermen round here don't need a licence to dredge them up but taking a photo of them causes such a stir.

Tristan

Tristan

One of my Divemasters researched the diving at Studland Bay and contacted the Seahorse Trust to enquire about the rules for diving with them

Below is an excert from their emailed response

"Have you checked out our seahorse trust and British Seahorse Survey websites?, it does have a page for divers plus (we hope) lots of other helpful information.

There is also a statement by Natural England on the site which puts their position on taking pictures of Seahorses. They have a weird approach to this but in essence, if a diver (or a fisherman) comes across a Seahorse then it is OK to take one or two pictures of the Seahorse (preferably without flash) as long as it it does not cause stress to the Seahorse but if someone sets out to take pictures of Seahorses for commercial reasons. As possibly the case of your instructor friend then he would need a license. Even in this case pictures taken would need to be without flash and if disturbance occurs then the picture taking session has to cease. Hope that all makes sense.

They also are adament that if Seahorses are chased in the pursuit of taking pictures or video then they will proscecute them (with our support)"

I've checked out the link that Daniel posted and boy oh boy is it going to be a complicated process.

Might just go for a dive with my camera and get som Tompot Blenny shots and IF I come accross any Seahorses shoot the little buggers as well.

Nige

I'm still jealous about that scorpionfish. Must get better eyes.

Alex

I found one down there and another around at studland. 2 in 2 dives. have no photographic evidence though. I didnt even know we had them in our waters. i was amazed when i see the first one and dragged louise over to have a look.

Has all the rough surge gone from swanage yet Tristan, i might be down there at the weekend if i can get time out of the office.

Stew

I'm still jealous about that scorpionfish. Must get better eyes.

 

Alex

But at least when you spot stuff, you take a decent photo of it , some of us spot creatures and then butcher the photography side of things

I found one down there and another around at studland. 2 in 2 dives. have no photographic evidence though. I didnt even know we had them in our waters. i was amazed when i see the first one and dragged louise over to have a look.

 

Has all the rough surge gone from swanage yet Tristan, i might be down there at the weekend if i can get time out of the office.

 

Stew

Cool

Yeah, it wasn't too bad yesterday, you were lucky with the seahorses let me know when you are going down

Tristan

Nice to see more "cold water" pictures. looks like there is more color in the UK waters than there is in my home waters in the Netherlands

Bas

I managed to get into the water for the first time in ages yesterday and had the chance to test out my 110 Alphas. I was using a 5D in aquatica housing with 100mm macro lens. The viz was about 3 meters and the temperature a balmy 18-20 degrees so off with the drysuit and on with the 5mm

 

I would appreciate any comments that you have both positive and negative, (I have thick skin), as I haven't been in the water with a camera on a proper "camera dive" since January.

It was also the first dive in the UK in summer time so I was really pleased with the number of fish. I had not seen any of the below species before so was like a kid in a candy shop

 

Tompot Blenny

 

Long Spined Scorpion Fish

 

Black Faced Blenny

 

Candy Stripe Flat Worm

 

Candy Stripe Flat Worm

 

Sea lice? Not really for criticism but I thought it was interesting , sadly the fish was in a hurry so only got the one frame

 

Any way your comments would be appreciated and if any of you fancy a paddle in Swanage area, please let me know

 

Tristan

PS no idea on linking to images so sadly you have to click the links..... i gave up in the end and attached the images...

Must get better eyes.

 

Alex

I tried that one with Optical Express but they turned me down!

Hi All,

On the topic of Sea Horses, im very keen to get a couple of shots myself. My brother was diving off Swanage Pier a few weeks ago and saw one there, I think he said he was off to the left of the pier, I beleive there is a small patch of sea grass around there and that was where he saw it.

Hopeing to get there myself with him some time soon although he works weekends and I work during the week so timing is difficult. He has said the vis is probably the best its been for a while there at the moment, as he is local and dives there fairly regularly with his club!

Mark

Hi All,

 

On the topic of Sea Horses, im very keen to get a couple of shots myself. My brother was diving off Swanage Pier a few weeks ago and saw one there, I think he said he was off to the left of the pier, I beleive there is a small patch of sea grass around there and that was where he saw it.

 

Hopeing to get there myself with him some time soon although he works weekends and I work during the week so timing is difficult. He has said the vis is probably the best its been for a while there at the moment, as he is local and dives there fairly regularly with his club!

 

Mark

Now you tell me that when i am about to leave the country for 2 weeks......

I have received a reply from Natural England regarding the photographing of seahorses:

In April 2008 all seahorse species which normally occur in our coastal waters received full protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

This protection means that it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb any seahorse. Photography and filming of seahorses is likely to cause disturbance particularly if a flash is used and would constitute an offence. Natural England can issue licences which allow the disturbance of seahorses but will normally only issue such licences if there is a conservation, educational or scientific benefit.

A licence is not required if the photography does not cause any disturbance to the seahorses. This could possibly be achieved if the photos are taken without a flash and are taken for only a few seconds ideally taking just one quick image. Subsequent returns to the specific location which are known to contain seahorses is likely to cause disturbance.

In certain circumstances the photography may cause no additional disturbance, for example, if you accidentally caught a seahorse in a crab pot and photographed it this would not be an offence providing no additional disturbance was caused by the photography and every effort was made to re-release the seahorse as soon as practical"