Sometimes you just get lucky. I came across this xenia crab on a whip coral at the end of a 70 minute dive and didn't have a lot of time to work on an image. I was so intent on trying to work around toward the left side to isolate the crab against the water background that I didn't even notice the second crab until I reviewed images on a tablet later!
I also failed to notice that one strobe had turned off, and overlooked the not-so-trivial fact that I had inadvertently left the lens set at f4 from an earlier attempt to experiment with bokeh on some coral. Other than all that, the shot turned out OK!
Anyway, aside from correcting the obvious rookie mistakes with lighting and DoF, any suggestions for shooting these subjects in the future would be much appreciated!
Hey troporobro
Considering you were 70 minutes into a dive, one strobe, f4, didn't see the second critter... I think you did pretty well!
Yeah, obviously switch to a smaller aperture for more depth of field. And I think I might have been tempted to get the camera a bit lower to be able to shoot up more and thereby increase the silhouetting of the Xeno against the black background. Then, having cracked that one (!), and not utterly sucking rust out of the tank, maybe try for a head-on shot? But I do think isolating the Xeno against the background is the main trick I'd try to get - create as much neutral space around it as you can.
That is a great idea - a head on shot didn't even occur to me. I will have to try that sometime.
It would have been difficult in this case as i could not get any lower in relation to the subject. This is another in a series of increasingly frequent situations for me where a 45 degree viewfinder would have made a significant difference. The only question now is whether I can sell that idea as a way to maximize the value of my investment in a macro setup, or whether it will be opposed as continuing folly. Hmm . . .
Ahhh, yes, I feel your pain, troporobo
Why not try, "It's an investment, honey. I don't [delete as applicable: drink/smoke/have Sky TV/own a Ferrari]. I'll be so much more [content/self-confident/less anxious]. I might even win competitions."
I bought a 45-degree Subal viewfinder about 7 years ago. I think it's the one thing that has made the most significant difference to how I take pictures. It is superb.
Continuing folly? Surely not...
How about, I think I need a new camera and housing, this one just sucks. I really enjoy taking photos but my gear sucks so bad I just don't know what I'm going to do. Then after a week of so goes by, well it wouldn't be so bad if I could at least see what I was shooting. I suppose a view finder would help that quite a bit, I probably wouldn't need a new camera if I could see what I was shooting with this one.
Wicked! Paul, I love it....
So, all set, troporobo? Paul and have done the heavy lifting, it's now all over to you.
Thanks a lot guys, you've given some great ammunition. If only I had not just ordered a new BCD and air integrated computer . . . clearly my prioritization of life support over imaging needs a rethimk!
Thanks a lot guys, you've given some great ammunition. If only I had not just ordered a new BCD and air integrated computer . . . clearly my prioritization of life support over imaging needs a rethimk!
Tsk. After all we have done for you too..... how selfish
Have fun with the new gear!
Part 2: I REALLY need to improve my observational skills. So I was going through photos that I took on this trip, and getting ready to dump the junk. I took a second look at this one because it is a poor photo but I was reluctant to trash it as I have yet to get a good photo of this pipefish and here I had a pair of them. And now I see that I captured a female carrying eggs! To be fair there was current and the buggers don't really hold still for a portrait and even with a prescription mask this would've been hard to see in the moment, but I am stoked at the serendipity of the shot:
