Frogfish at Stetson Bank

After a marathon swim, my buddy and I found the frogfish sitting on some fire coral:

Nikkor 105mm with dual strobes on TTL. F16 @ 1/125th

Not the best background for him to be sitting on, and he was pressed up against the reef.

Cheers

James

Excellent find - and a great fish. Did you try and face shots with the 105, James?

I always think it is helpful when looking at critter shots (either in print or through the viewfinder) to substitute in your mind the exciting critter with a much more boring one - say change the frogfish for a scorpionfish - and then judge the image. If the image is still a good one, as this personality filled portrait is, then you are doing well.

I like James's shot very much - the low camera angle and the froggie peering down on the viewer. It just reminded why my own critter shots often fail because I am too impressed by having found and snapped a rare beastie - and I forget about taking a good picture.

Alex

Cool James, I've never seen frogfish on Stetson. You say this was after a marathon swim... how far from the moorings and so on were you?

You know, saying it was sitting in some fire coral really doesn't narrow things down when talking about Stetson Bank

Yes, I grabbed this eery side-lit portrait:

My buddy and I swam from mooring #3 over past #2, and then over the wall to shoot the "Bucktoothed Cardinals" that school there. (By then I was huffing and puffing and breathing EAN32 at 110 feet so these shots aren't the best). Amidst the school of cardinals were a BIG conger eel, and a scorpionfish - but I just didn't have the air to hang out and shoot them. Then we moved over to a nearby pinnacle to find the frogfish. After a 3 minute "stakeout" Gary found him on his 20 x 20 section. Then we each took a few shots and hoofed it back to the boat. We both had the 105 mounted - and I am interested to see how my buddies film shots turn out.

Cheers

James

Great find James!