Jawfish

In between the Zion wreck and the Esso wreck there are three yellowhead

jawfish which a good photographer with some experience should be able to

get some excellent photos. Anyways I was after some wreck photos but

thought I would take a few. I have an Oly5050 with a PT015 and an Inon

Wide angle lens. I will go back and try to get some really good photos but

this one I was able to get to come out halfway okay. The wrecks are off

of Jupiter and are full of sealife. I also have the photos posted on my web-site

http://divertom.net/

Diver Tom

Hello Tom,

I really enjoy watching and photographing jawfish. Since the yellowheaded jawfish typically stays vertical in the mouth of or just above its den, except for those quick darts to grab a bit to eat, I encourage you to photograph them vertically and get real close. Once I know where a jawfish can be found and become hungry for a good image, I resign myself to the fact that it may be a "jawfish only" dive. This means that I prepare myself mentally to spend the whole dive concentrating on the jawfish, though it may only take a portion of the dive.

Patience is certainly a virture here. The first objective (after locating the fish, of course) is to try to make the jawfish as comfortable with your presence and the camera as possible. If you lay in the sand about 10 feet from the prospective den (with your camera visible), just breathe slowly for awhile and then move a bit closer, the jawfish will gradually become more brave.

After he begins to think that your not trying to make a jawfish sandwich, the next step is to try to get him used to the strobes. So, taking a few shots, even if your not as close as you eventually hope to get and then deleting them can help. The goal is to let the jawfish know that your not out for a snack AND you have numerous funky eyes, which sometimes pulsate.

When you are finally in position, try not to disturb the surrounding sand anymore than is necessary because you will either have to wait until the sand settles again or get used to the fact that backscatter will degrade your images. Once you begin taking what you hope to be keeper shots, do not rush your motions or increase your breathing. Space your shots so the jawfish does not become agitated.

One last thought is to ask a local, knowledgeable dive guide when the jawfish are most like to be breeding. Since the male stores the eggs in his mouth, you might be able to get close to prospective father. The resulting shots can be spectacular.

I hope this helps. Please post another shot if you try it again.

Scott

Thanks, I know where three are for sure and I hope to get all three at the

same time. Thanks for the info, it will take some pactice with the lighting

as they are in about 80 ft of water.

Diver Tom

Hard subject to photograph! I haven't had any luck myself, yet, and I always end up spending half of my dive waiting and watching.

I think your should could use a lot of cropping. Most of the bottom half of the image is wasted space, and doesn't add anything to the photograph.

Was it possible to get an even lower perspective?

Just to echo eric - nice shot on a skittish subject. I haven't had much success either - this is my best shot but it's cheating as it was taken at the National Aquarium in Baltimore...

-MP

Craig has an awesome headshot of a Jawfish with its mouth filled with eggs

Back to the plot...

Great environs shot as it is, showing two dens. slightly cropped and enhanced.

reminds me of those meer cats in Africa.

How ever you feel about a shot, its a good record and sets up a marker to improve upon later.

The aforementioned jawfish with eggs:

A little further out but not quite framed (none of these were cropped):

I was waiting for this one to dart out rather than yawn. Amusing composition:

I went out and did a jawfish only dive on Jan 1. My buddy found him at the end of a shore dive. Alas, we had been under for over 70 minutes and we had to meet the spouses for dinner, plus it was getting dark. So I went back for another try.

After over 40 minutes and 58 shots of the jawfish only, I still couldn't get one like Craig's. The one with the eggs just wouldn't come out very far and the mouth wasn't overflowing. I could never get the side view shot. Maybe another time. I heard they do the egg thing at the full moon, but my dive was write around a half moon I think.

The yellowheads are more cooperative. I've found them in bigger colonies, too.

Until Craig and scorpio fish posted their jawfish (incredible photos!), I was proud of these photos, taken on Little Cayman in May 2003. This little fellow wasn't the least bit camera-shy. And I agree - you've got to burrow down into the sand and shoot horizontally to get a good, dramatic shot.

I've got some classic pictures... Of empty holes

Here is one from Turks & Caicos:

Wrong time of the month for eggs.

Here's one with eggs, with eyes (the black dots); but this is as far out as he would come. In the past I've seen one aerating the eggs, definitely a video moment but tough for a still shot.

Linda I.

Fantastic shot Linda!

I can do the Yellowheads

I also have a family of duskies that I now have exact locations of, so I am diving there on a weekly basis waiting for the right time to get a shot of that species with eggs in their mouth. Actually Dusky's get pretty big - saw one on the last dive (without a camera unfortunetly) completly out of its hole... Next time.

M

Hello Linda,

Those are excellent images! What lens or lens combinations are you using with the S2? Also, in what part(s) of the world did you photograph the different subjects? If you manage to capture one vertically, it might make a nice magazine cover or at least an inside full page.

Scott