Ultimate Indonesia 2011 official trip thread

Eric, I bet you just sold 10 more trips on that boat with your slideshow. I'm still a bit dazed just watching it.

 

JP

It's what I do.

Although... each trip's slideshow is getting more and more complicated, and I'm not sure that I can keep making each one better than the last—a slideshow like that takes over 20 hours of computer time to produce, not including all the time spend gathering video footage (and fighting with poorly-released software like Final Cut Pro X).

WOW, outstanding images like always!

Great photos, LOVED the slideshow Eric.

 

If I might *really* be a pain in the butt, it would be great if the participants chimed in with their exact equipment setups. I noticed Eric had his 3D Gopro and as mentioned you guys and gals had mostly 7D's or D7000's -- what else did you really like using or what else was a "bust" equipment-wise? Was most of the video from the 7D/D7000's or other sources? Did everyone backroll in holding their rigs (great video perspective on that BTW) or did others have their gear handed down?

Thank you! I shot all of the video shown in the slideshow using GoPro HERO HD cameras, Canon 7D, and Canon S95. The underwater footage was a combination of 7D and GoPro (you can generally tell). The GoPros were mounted in Eye of Mine housings, both 2D and 3D, and used ball adapters from ULCS to mount to housings and to a telescoping pole.

I didn't see many people backroll in with their rigs, although those of us shooting video would often do it because there were no dangly strobes attached.

Awesome video! Awesome stills. Looks like an amazing trip

Nicely done Eric. I love the cloud movement from the topside footage.

Stew

Thank you for sharing the show Eric. Must be some kind of record trip with so many great photographers at the top of their game.

Amazing images!

Steve

great photos and video, I hate you all

What a great experience.

Oh so very JEALOUS of everyone's amazing finds and resultant phenomenal shots!!! Loved the video, although I was disappointed that it didn't contain a reprise of "Poker Face"

Allison

The mating ritual of two cockatoo waspfishes (Ablabys taenianotus). In the last of the three frames, the two cockatoo waspfishes are swimming up into the water column to release eggs and sperm. Kalabahi Sound, Alor, Indonesia.

At a second viewing, I have a few questions about the video/still techniques used. In many scenes, it looks like a tripod was used -- did any or all of you bring tripods? Underwater ones? Gorillapods? Enquiring minds wish to know

Also, I can see when everyone was chasing dragons around Komodo you had pole cams. Did you bring the materials with you for the polecams or makeshift everything when you arrived? This could almost be a sticky in the "Techniques and Tips" forum - "How to make a polecam".

And finally, Julie -- my wife was totally captivated by all of your nudi shots, can't wait to see them in their full glory on your web page. Yours too Cor, you have some wonderful stuff.

Fantastic stuff from all the photographers on this trip. We can't do Komodo in 2012 due to other vacation commitments, but definitely in 2013!

thanks,

John

All the polecams were made on the spot by our fearless metalhead Garry

Hello fellow wetpixillians,

I finally made time to finish my Indonesia gallery.

http://www.bluereefphoto.org/p97338710

Most of the 20 day trip was awesome diving in Komodo with great people and plush accommodations.

I also visited a fish farm and a fishing village in northern Bali.

Thanks to everyone on the boat for such a memorable trip!

Frank

Great shots, Frank! I'm glad you nailed some subjects during the black-water night stuff we tried. Also, the bombed reef shot is striking. Anyone who hasn't seen the effects of bomb fishing should check it out: http://www.bluereefphoto.org/p97338710/h2a635097#h2a635097

Hello fellow wetpixillians,

 

I finally made time to finish my Indonesia gallery.

http://www.bluereefphoto.org/p97338710

Most of the 20 day trip was awesome diving in Komodo with great people and plush accommodations.

I also visited a fish farm and a fishing village in northern Bali.

Thanks to everyone on the boat for such a memorable trip!

 

Frank

At a second viewing, I have a few questions about the video/still techniques used. In many scenes, it looks like a tripod was used -- did any or all of you bring tripods? Underwater ones? Gorillapods? Enquiring minds wish to know

Only one person used a tripod, and from what I saw, he mostly used it underwater to do self portraits. I did video stabilization in post—no one can hold an SLR housing that steady.

Very nice collection, Frank. Really like some of weirdos you found, particularly planktonic ones!

Alex

Interesting paper on the venomous aspect of the komodo dragon

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/05/15/0810883106

All the polecams were made on the spot by our fearless metalhead Garry

i saw him playing live last friday night

So how did you pull the trigger? Or did you have your own remote trigger devices?

In a situation like this, probably best to set the camera to take a photo every second (like on timelapse) and edit afterwards.

Alex

p.s. Regarding Jeff's article - BBC Wildlife Magazine did a "translation" of that article in one of their editions this summer (which I saw coz I had images in the same issue) - which is worth seeking out for those interested in dragons!

Garry live! Now that would be an experience!

Alex is correct - the Nikon folks were able to put their cameras on interval, preset the focus distance and have the camera snap away. I had to try my Canon on the 10 second timer and only got off 2 (bad) shots before the dragon charged (as caught on video in the slide show!). Thankfully, the Tokina 10-17 is robust and survived the impact with his nose unscathed!

Phil

Phil, I am sure I have seen many people shooting time-lapse on Canon SLRs - why couldn't you use that mode?

Alex

There is no timelapse mode on Canon. We use external intervalometers...