What do you think of this?

I took this in the great barrier reef (northwest island) using an Olympus C-50 in a PT-014, without any strobes.

This is my favourite photo that I took, but would love some constructive criticism from more experienced people.

Since then I have bought an INON D-180 strobe + Inon arm system.

Well, it is a picture that will always be imbedded in your memory. You might consider taking a class on composition. That's usually where new photographers can use the biggest boost in image capture. For example, you might have placed the starfish in a better location, say, 1/3 into the frame and got closer. Make that your primary subject and use the beautiful reef as the negative space. Right now, my eyes search for a subject. Any image should draw the viewer immediately to the main subject. Now that you have a strobe, use it to paint some light onto the main subject, making it pop out and grab you. From your tone, you are hooked. The hook sinks deeper and deeper each time you improve on your images.....you will desire more and more the better you get...at least that is how I feel.

Keep shooting and concentrate on the composition and lighting.

Joe

I took this in the great barrier reef (northwest island) using an Olympus C-50 in a PT-014, without any strobes.

 

This is my favourite photo that I took, but would love some constructive criticism from more experienced people.

 

Since then I have bought an INON D-180 strobe + Inon arm system.

 

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Ran it through a routein in PSE to "get the cyan out" or "put the red back in" depending on your point of view. I don't have a strobe, so I'm getting pretty good at doing it quickly.

Definitely an improvement in 2nd photo! I agree there seems to be a lack of primary subject...try to get as close as you can to your subject if possible...I might have concentrated on the starfish in this instance.

I shoot in raw format and use Photoshop to adjust the exposure and contrast to eliminate the blue.....

~Rozuki