Lembeh-north a couple more

One just for Bob

a dolphin from a uncooperative pod after our trip to the beach.

one of my favourite looking nudis-(other than Bob)

You're not so tough, bring it on.

Is that Bob's yellow knitting needle in the background?

Cheers

James

Actually I think it was a octopus hose. Bob was busy knitting a sweater on that one.

Nice hand.

Actually, it is the guides mask & eye!

Reminds me of a bunch of pygmy shots I was getting with a pink background. Whose spotting light was that again?

It wasn't mine, that's for sure - I had to go diving at 05.00 to get a look-in at a gorgonian

It wasn't mine, that's for sure - I had to go diving at 05.00 to get a look-in at a gorgonian

You were just trying to figure out what we were looking at!

It was a pink UK60, I believe. Fess up!

For the benefit of those who weren't there, here's an example of what shooting pygmies is like.

Here's another example of a diver getting in the background of a subject

Great shots, herb, and a smoking gun! There's my pink background.

On a serious note, while in Komodo I was asked to move off a pygmy by a lone photographer from another boat (the Pelagian) and I did so. The subject was a juvenile that I had done on a previous dive and I returned using a 200mm with a +3 diopter. It's a real bitch to shoot but was necessary to get the power I needed and still maintain 6-8 inches of working distance. The other photopgrapher came "armed" with a 60mm. His technique was to press the port against the fan until it doubled over, then reach around with his big UK light from behind and sandwich the critter in the frame. I used my knitting needle in anger; poking and prodding the camera, strobes, and diver but he didn't care. I signalled to his divemaster but he wouldn't respond. No more shots were to be had on the sujbect since it was so spooked. I lodged a complaint after the dive (but so what).

3 weeks earlier there were 6-7 pygmies on that fan. When I was there it was down to 2. I suspect they are gone now. Another fan was so damaged that it was 1/3 covered with algae and had only 1 left. All the pygmies were gone from Cannibal Rock.

When shooting subjects such as these it is especially important to tread as lightly as possible. I was upset to see a Pelagian divemaster endorsing terribly destructive photographic technique through deliberate inaction and wouldn't mind others considering that when deciding where to spend their money in the future.

First time ever a guy sees pygmies and wants to shoot them as much as possible and gets grief for being in the background.

I'm always open to being proded by a knitting needle to move from the frame. Which if memory serves me well, I did after only a few minutes and left you all to your own to shoot them. How soon we forget mister.

And, Bob is correct on the mask and eye, I was baiting him.

I also must admit that Craig had a great idea in using knitting needles to minimize reef contact and assist is focusing on hard to see subjects. I am still unsure if I liked the big BBQ tonges that Herb was using!(I'm kidding people)

And I have pictures with that knitting needle in the background. But, I am not complaining either.

And I have pictures with that knitting needle in the background. But, I am not complaining either.

It was probably mine, too! Hate it when I do that to a film shooter.

I forgive you... Those 220's were spot-on

Dolphin turned out nice Todd

Hey, welcome sink boy. You need to post a couple of yours to show what a new guy can do with digital as you definately have some framers in your group of shots.