Alex's Birthday!

Hey Wetpixel!

I am 30 years old today (4 Feb). So I thought I select my 8 personal favourite shots from the last 12 months to share with you. These are not necessarily my best images - but most have a good story behind them and for this reason are my favourites. Thought and time went into them and I guess that means that more personal satisfaction comes out.

Please excuse my self indugence (and sorry to those who have seen most ot these images before). But if I can't do it on my birthday. When can I!

Alex

Image 1: Bohar Snapper. Ras Mohammed, Egypt. June 2004.

I like this image because it was taken with the telephoto technique I have been developing. Shot through 1.5-2 metres of water with a 160mm focal length lens (FF equivalent). Special strobe positioning and exploiting post processing capability of RAW makes this type of image possible. The long focal length lens gives this image an unusual perspective for an UW photo. This snapper was 70cm (about 3 feet long).

Secretary Blennies are common subjects in Cayman and I have been photographing them for years. This image really jumps out from the pile of pictures I have already taken. I guess I like it because for me it is something new with an old subject.

D100 + 105mm. Subal housing. Subtronic Alpha strobes.

Turtle Farm Reef. Grand Cayman. August 2004.

I took this picture last week with a D70. I know some people don't like fisheye distortion - but I really like the effect in this image. This picture was taken as part of a portfolio of 6 images. I really enjoyed shooting specifically for a portfolio (for the BSoUP's Theme portfolio and then UK's IMAGE competition later in the year).

I guess I have picked this image because I enjoyed the very different challenge of shooting specifically for the portfolio over a dive. I always visualized this picture as a black and white. It's not great small - but when this is large it really rocks!

D70 + 10.5mm. Subal housing. Available light.

Sandbar. Grand Cayman. January 2005.

Happy Birthday Alex.....30 eh?.....life has just begun my friend

Karl

Welcome to the Club...

and Happy Birthday

Good old pygmies. With so many images of this subject out there, I wanted to do something different with this shot. And playing to the strengths of my digital camera I had the idea to try for a composite image.

These 4 images were taken in succession when the pygmy jumped from the gorgonian and then landed again. The D100 AF stayed on the subject despite the fact I had no focus torch. In this version of the image - that was created within 30 minutes of surfacing from the dive - the photoshopping on the gorgonian is not perfect. I have since re-done this image as a full res version.

Nikon D100. 105mm +4 dioptre. Subal Housing. Subtronic Alphas.

Nudi Falls. Lembeh. March 2004.

I do a lot of fish mating photography. Fish porn as my friends call it. But hamlets were always the species I wanted, because they are one of the few vertebrates that are true hermaphrodites (male and female at the same time), and as a result their matine behaviour is fascinating as they take it in turns to play each sexual role.

I got my first decent hamlet mating shot in April 2003, but that was of boring barred hamlets. I had to wait a year to get an image of my favourite species - the shy hamlet. These shots give me a lot of satisfaction as I have never seen another image of a pair of shy hamlets mating. This was something I had to research and go out and find on my own for myself.

I can't wait to re-do this shot with the D2X.

D100 + 28-70mm. Subal Housing. Subtronic Alphas.

Wreck of the Oro Verde. Grand Cayman. April 2004.

I have bored Wetpixellites many times on available light filter photography. This is my favourite filter shot from last year. It is the school of snappers again at Ras Mohammed. This image really exploits the strengths of the technique as the penetration of colour back into the school would not be possible with flash photography (because of the Inverse Square Rule and also comparative light paths).

As an image this is not necessarily the strongest here - but I get a lot of satisfaction from the technical side.

Nikon D100 + 12-24mm. UR Pro CY filter.

Ras Mohammed. Red Sea. Depth 7-10m.

I have always been a fan of taking blurry images. In fact my biggest photography award was a 1st Prize at Antibes for a rear curtain synch image of a school.

This image uses the front curtain and panning technique that I have been working on. Unlike rear curtain synch, this technique allows me to accurately control the position of my main subject in the frame.

Nikon D100. 60mm lens. Subal Housing. Subtronic Alphas.

Hairball. Lembeh. March 2004.

This is another picture that I like very much - but not that many other people do! I find the top down camera angle offers a new view of this common subject and also suits the subject matter.

It is a simple shot. But I really like this image - possible because it doesn't feel like my normal style.

D100 + 28-70mm. Subal housing. Subtronic Alphas.

Lembeh Strait. March 2004.

are we going to get 30 images for 30 years ?

and I am quite surprised you haven't thrown any Hass or reg film photos in with this lot. You must have some favourites that you feel you couldn't take on digital (although always nice to prove that statement wrong)

Did i spend all those weeks lowering your Hass or F100 down on a piece of rope for you after 30 mins for nothing ... or is it just because this is a digital forum you are sticking to Didge (is that how it is spelt or is it simply Dig .. which i thought involved a shovel)

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Karl, Simon and Giles.

Giles, all these pictures are from the last 12 months. And I haven't shot that much film and certainly no medium format! I had my F100 with me in Cayman last week. I set it up and it was ready to rock. But I just ended up grabbing the Oly 5060 instead (or D70 when it was free). See you tomorrow.

I guess I am a true digital convert now. Just need my own camera. Only a few weeks to wait now (hopefully).

Alex

Alex,

This is a great idea. You've certainly captured the "underwater year in pictures." Happy birthday - the big three-oh.

Cheers

James

Outstanding portfolio! What you've captured goes well beyond pixels.

Cheers and Best wishes!

Truly some amazing stuff. I like the top down approach I have tried it on a few occassions with some common subjects and been pleased with the results. Will others be, that is yet to be determined.

Happy Birthday Alex. When you're 54, like I am, 30 looks pretty damn good.

Marvelous images. You consistently wow me with you're innovative and insightful photography. While others carry on about brand preference, FF vs 1.5 sensors, circles of confusion, etc, etc, etc, you " show me the money."

Alex,

On my 30th birthday, my wrestling buddies got me an exotic dancer. I nibbled, touched and had a great time unil the end of the dance when she took off all her clothes and it was a guy!

So be cautious on this special day.

And very impressive work.

Your buddy, Joe.

Happpy Birthday young man. 30, Jeesh...

Most of the shots posted deserve more comment than I'd quickly give here. Suffice to say all show some facet of creativity or diligence well beyond the norm.

And I must say, the BW image is epic.

Rand

Hi Alex,

Happy Birthday to you!!

I can't help but echo all the previous posters and add my voice to those who you have inspired and enthused.

I always look out for your posts and look forward to seeing many many more.

Thankyou for posting such a beautiful selection (the last of the clown is actually my favourite).

Best wishes!

Alex - thank you so much for sharing those shots. I'd seen some of them before, but taken as a group they are just wonderful.

Happy birthday...

Chris aka Cp