First year with Nikon D700

I bought my Subal D700 housing exactly a year ago and picked up the camera soon after, so I thought that it would be interesting to pull together an informal gallery of my first year shooting with the camera. Those that follow my photography regularly won't find too many surprises in here, the stuff that I want to remain hidden, remains hidden!

I have tried to include as wider range of subjects as possible, as I know many Nikon users are debating upgrading, or possibly that should be downgrading to FX format! That is a discussion for another place, suffice to say I have liked my D700 much more than I expected, and at times have wondered how I ever managed without it. That said, I would not be surprised if my next camera is DX format, bought to run alongside the D700. Ultimately, I have been very pleased with the images I have made with the D700 in 2009.

Partly as a result of buying the D700 and partly the reason for buying it, my diving in 2009 has often been away from coral reefs, in the often darker waters of the tropics. Here the high ISO capability of the D700 has certainly enabled me to get images I could not have produced before.

Here is the link to the gallery and below are a few images to hopefully make you click on it!

Let me know what you think.

Happy holidays all!

Alex

p.s. For those wondering the Favourite Shot Of 2009 Thread is coming soon!

Black Rockfish In Bull Kelp (Canada)

D700 + 15mm FE. F9 @ 1/320th. ISO 800.

It was so beautiful beneath the kelp, but the challenge was to control the light and dynamic range of the frame to produce a photo. It took me at least half a dive, until I knew I was getting what I wanted. I also know that shooting an image with this sort of dynamic range, in dark conditions would not have been possible on the cameras I had shot before. This was one of those days I wondered what I did before the D700!

X-Ray John Dory (England)

D700 + 60mm AF-S. F32 @ 1/250th. ISO 200. (Thanks to Paul for holding the slave)

Its a marmite shot, for sure (UK reference meaning you either love it or hate it), but I find myself liking this image more and more. I feel it is one of the most original underwater images I have taken. At full rez you can see all the blood vessels in the fish's head and I have never produced or seen a background to a fish portrait look like that before. I love it. Sadly everyone else hates it!

Truck Inside Thistlegorm (Egypt)

D700 + 16mm FE. F18 @ 8 seconds. ISO 200. (next time I will turn down the slave to get better settings!)

I love the mood that the off camera strobe creates. Plus this is my longest ever underwater exposure. I was also really pleased that Sport Diver/Scuba Diving (can't remember which one) used two of these off camera strobes shots in a feature I shot for them. Magazines so often go for the safe, rather than arty options. Also, since shooting this I have been practising much more with this technique, and can't wait for my next dive on a decent wreck, as this image is only scratching the surface of what I think I can achieve.

Melibe Nudibranchs Filter Feeding (Canada)

D700 + 15mm FE. F14 @ 1/80th. ISO 800.

This shot was very simple to shoot, but a race against the setting sun in Canada. At the end of long diving day, I popped back in to shoot these guys feeding. As soon as I saw them I knew what I wanted. I photographed two or three groups and I knew I had my shots. The dive took 7 minutes! Nothing creative, just classic CFWA technique, if it ain't broke...

Wunderpus In Spotlight (Indonesia)

D700 + 60mm AF-S. F10 @ 1/160th. ISO 800. (thanks to Erwin for aiming the torch)

All year I was keen to experiment with ideas that utilised the high ISO capability of the D700, and for this dive in Lembeh I went down with no strobes on the camera and a macro lens. The plan was for my diveguide Erwin to provide the lighting with his torch. The plan was to create the performer in the spotlight idea. I tried it with black backgrounds, but preferred the subtler look of blue backgrounds, which seemed less about the special effect and more about the image. This is another of my favourites from the year as I feel it is something a little different.

And a great year it was Alex!

Of course you shoot great stuff no matter what camera is in your hands; but I agree with you, there really is a place for high(er) ISO underwater. When one thinks about it, why shouldn't there be? Glad to see that Elizabeth earned a couple of spots in the gallery.

Excellent work as always from you Alex.

I really like the “Melibe Nudibranchs Filter Feeding “ shot.

Keep up the good work!

great stuff Alex - looking forward to more good stuff in 2010!

The melibe shot is fantastic. I saw it in Port Hardy and I have seen it a few times since. I will never tire of it. I can just sit and stare at it.

I also think you did a super job on the rockfish. Well worth your effort.

Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year Alex. It was a pleasure diving with you.

Alex,

Thank you for sharing, and continuing to motivate those of us whom are new(er) to underwater imaging! Happy Holidays! And hope to see you in 2010.

Jen

Alex

Love the Melibe Nudibranchs Filter Feeding it is simply stunning, and as for marmite I love it and the X-Ray John Dory.

The Perch shot on your website, Stony Cove? Awesome capture of a common subject.

Nice One You

Nige Wade

Simply great work Alex!

I love the long exposure wreck shot! Can't wayt to see when You get past the surface scratching.

Seems like You have had an awesome year!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Karel

Its a marmite shot, for sure (UK reference meaning you either love it or hate it), but I find myself liking this image more and more. I feel it is one of the most original underwater images I have taken. At full rez you can see all the blood vessels in the fish's head and I have never produced or seen a background to a fish portrait look like that before. I love it. Sadly everyone else hates it!

My dilemma when picking out photos in my collection is the one's that most people hate, I like and vice-versa. It is proven out on flickr where the ones I like the most get the fewest comments. But hey for what its worth, I like your shot as well

You had some amazing photos in the last year, I especially liked the cold water photos wirch are an unknown world for me.

Let's hope that 2010 will as good and even better!

Happy Hollidays and Happy new year!