I've added a gallery on Yap

Its in the Travel section on the galleries page, took forever with my low internet connection....

I will try to add lens/settings etc in the next few days, in the meantime its time for a drink!

Here's the link: enjoy and comments welcome

Mike

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?act=m..._album&album=26

Hi Mike,

I know how SLOW that dial up is over there

so I give you not only awesome credit for wonderful photos but TONS of credit for patience while uploading the photos!

Great job...brings back great memories of our trip there last year.

Great gallery Mike, so many great Manta shots.

The short DOF shot of the small yellow fish (gobie?) is wonderful. What a great way to shoot that. Also liked the tight frame of the first Lionfish. Nice work.

Rand

Thanks guys, surprising that i have so much macro in there....i have always been a WA guy, but now that i don't act as a guide anymore i can ignore people and shoot macro! Great place for it here too.

Rand: the yellow fish is cunningly called a Yellow Cardinal Fish, oh those clever fish naming people.... Apogon luteus if you like Latin

That shot was the result of a 60mm with a +4 close up, the Lionfish was a 105mm with a +2

Shot some more macro today, where is a SHOCK smilie? I am being converted...

GOt a great Ornate Ghost Pipefish with a bluish background, but a touch blurry around the eye, Did i mention i hate the D70 viewfinder?? Especially when a guy on the boat had an F4 with him today...viewfinder on that is the size of a small child (jealous!!) and i have perfect eyesight too!

Thanks for sharing those Mike. You really have far to many great manta shots for one person!

My favourite is the one you use as your avatar. Its a great sunburst capture. And a fantastic composition too! I also really like the top down view of the mantas over the seabed. That's a very original shot.

Alex

Excellent photography and a nice variety of critters....I also like the yellow goby shot....well done ....all with your D70?

Karl

Alex: thanks for the comments, the top down shot as much of a result of circumstance as originality, lets just say i was really far into deco...

but i do have a collection of top down shots of certain critters that i think work well from that angle, a gang of mantas being one! (d70)

Karl, most are with D70, all the macro plus a lot of the mantas. Only the huge gangs of mantas, a couple more of the silhouettes, and the yellow crinoid with nice sunburst are the Nik V and 15mm

Mike is this one really a film shot?

I must admit that I thought it was digital - as it has that cyan ring around the sun that is often levelled as a criticism of digital sunburst captures.

Anyway this post is a nice excuse to have a look at your manta shot again. Still a chestnut!

Alex

Hey Alex, yes film it is. I really need to rewredo the PS on it as you are right about the cyan. Scanning slides does not do any favours to film unfortunately. I always just try to get it back to what it looks like on the slide but never does the justice i want. I really like that sunburst even though it was taken at 1/90 at around noon! f22 provia 100

That provia is even more saturated than my D2X!

I don't see anything wrong with this sunburst - I was just making the point that a film shot (particularly once scanned) can have some of the problems of digital when it comes to sunbursts.

Alex

Hi Mike,

Regarding the sunburst: I have found a huge difference in scanning slides with sunbursts with my new scanner over the old due to the bit depth. I scan at 16 rather than 8, and the rings disappear, and you get that smooth transition back.

Not sure what scanner you're using, but maybe that may help.

Cheers,

Marli

Hi Marli,

Ha, no more spending of money on film stuff for me! Saving my money for the new Sony HD video camera and housing which is going to cost me about 6 years of Credit Card payments.

Which scanner did you get? I have the NIkon 4000, i think it is 16 bit but not sure, but i keep the raw scan on file so will have to go back and look again as i have learned a few tricks since i processed that one.

If you have the 4000, it shouldn't be a problem if you scan at 16 bit. With the way some of the wetpixelians change their cameras, you better save every penny!

Cheers,

Marli

You are so right about that Marli, visiting this website always makes me feel very poor...am i the only one who dives for a living??? (and therefore eats a lot of Ramen Noodles!)

Mike, I'm trying to feel sorry for you.....but I can't

Karl

Karl, you'll be happy to know that you gave me a good laugh with your reply, off to go diving now....