Northern PNG a Wide Angle Destination

Excellent trip to PNG on the Star Dancer. For me this was an area that just seemed to be a WA destination. Hardly ever put on the 60mm.

Great to hear You had an excellent trip and I can see You got some good shots as well.

Is that a hook sticking out from the side of the sharks mouth on the first shot?

nice selection, i love silvertips, they are the nicest looking shark. what lens did you shoot that one with?

My only nitpick would be suggesting a slower shutter speed for the downward looking shots such as the silver and the second shot of jacks in order to have them stand out more from a lighter blue

Thanks. The Silver Tip did have a large hook in it's mouth, sad. One reason we did this trip was because we thought it would be more "sharky" but frankly we saw more in Palau. They did two "feeds" were they brought down a small bucket with chum. At one site it brought in 2 silver tips at the other 3-4 grey reefs and and a couple of white tips. That shot was taken with the Sigma 17-70mm. I had wanted to try the Tokina 10-17mm but they just were not coming in close enough. Mike thanks for the input always welcome. Checked the data on that it was shot at 1/80th, how slow do you think you can get away with moving subjects? A couple of more shots.

Another shot showing the hook

Goofing around in the shallows

Shot some macro

Very good results from your trip. A nice mix and very clean wide angle

Hey Martin, what is that B&W fish in the open over the top of the coral head in the 4th shot of the second set?

Beautiful images sir!

Steve

Thanks for the comments. I believe that is a juvenile sweet lips.

its a juvenile black and white snapper actually.

For shutter speed, the old rule of thumb is that you can get away with a shutter speed that is as slow as your lens is wide without really getting any camera shake. For the jacks 1/30 shouldn't be a problem. With the silver, if it was swimming at a slow leisurely pace then 1/30 would also be fine, however if it was in feeding mode and moving quick then 30 would be too slow.

1/60 shouldn't really ever be a problem except on really fast moving subjects, the flash will freeze movement as well.

Thanks Mike I will give it a try. A couple more including a couple of "almost" shots where was so surprised to be shooting sharks close up forgot to check my settings.

This was nose on dome

Almost, but too much light, too far away, etc....

Love the over/unders, reminds me of the mangroves in Raja with you and Julie. Looks like you guys are having a great year of diving! Raja, PNG, and Solomons. Crazy!

Say hi to Julie, and keep posting your photos, i am enjoying them!

Mike

Papa Mike how is the family doing? Didn't you do this trip also? Where are the photos?

I didn't make the PNG trip, the best airfare i could manage for Bangkok - Port Moseby - Bangkok was something like $1,500 and 20-30 hour travel time, overnights, etc, thru Manila. What a mess! Really a shame, with the discounts the overall airfare would be more than then charter. And I am in Bangkok already. Stupid. Should have better flights, and no monoploy, into PNG...

Anyway, i get to live vicariously thru your shots, thanks for sharing!

Hoping to get back in the water soon. I bought a new dirtbike for Christmas, so that is eating into my vacation days, which are pretty limited to begin with. Hope you have a great Holiday season, and looking forward to some good diving for you, for me, and for all of us in 2010!

Family is great great great! Loving it! Max is a joy.... Not the photos you are looking for , but here is the latest of me and my son, he is almost 5 months old already!

Well that is a very handsom addition to the family, congrats. Seems like you are settling into your new lifestyle. I don't know why but Bangkok and dirt bike seem to be an odd combo. We have had a new addition also and I believe ours will be potty trained before yours...

Too bad about PNG, now I see they have a 10 day trip down to US$2200 we were going back to Lembeh in June but.....

What a sweetheart!! I am sure you guys are thrilled! Happy you have a new friend in the family. And wow, big paws! Going to be another big one....

Will see about PNG next year, not sure how things will turn out.

But dude, Singapore to Port Moresby, which isn't even the final destination, is $1,200 still. Add another $300 for Hoskins and $200 for BKK-SING...

From Bangkok, one can get to the dive resort/beach/port in Bali, Lembeh, Anilao, for about $500 or less...

Any ideas on how to get to PNG cheaply?

M.