GBR live-aboard trip.

Hi William,

 

All your pictures are spot on technically. It is clear that you are really on top of the rebel now and producing consistently good results.

 

I think all the images could be improved with a bit more attention to produce interesting compositions (there are a lot of centre AF bullseye compositions here) and in quite a few images you have chopped bits off the subjects when there is plenty of room in the frame not too.

I know this sounds negative - but the images are spot on technically so now its up to you to do more with your photography. Its clear that your technical skills are there to produce some really stunning shots.

 

I think you should be concentrating more on what you are trying to communicate with the image. What is the image about? What is the story it is telling? Exploit the space in your frame with your compositions and put the subject in areas that the viewer may not expect (like the head of the pipefish).

 

I hope that you take these comments as encouragement. I really like your images, but you are on the GBR and have a fantastic camera that you clearly know how to use. A little bit more consideration when you are putting your images together and you will be producing shots that stand way above most you see on the web.

 

Best regards,

 

Alex

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No, Alex, criticism is a good thing. And the more harsh the better. I can take it, bring it on...

I'll be the first one to admit that I do not think about composition at all when I am shooting. I am about the least creative person I know. My general strategy is take lots of pictures, hope a few of them turn out interesting.

This is definatly something I know I need to work on, and appeciate the tips.

I am very glad I posted these shots as I have now gotten two people criticizing my composition.(You and Mike) Thank you both.

Quit using center AF point for every shot. Shoot vertically. Quit cutting the F'ing tails off. Though perhaps better aiming is more of technical skill than a creative skill

Fortunatly this composition problem is not really my fault you see. It is really my camera's fault. Yes, everything can be fixed by a new camera right.....If only my camera had more AF points like the 1D(s), I could focus on somthing that is neither vertically nor horizonally centered. But then I dont have any more money fore new gear, so I can just wait untill I win the lotery to worry about being creative....No, no gear envy at all on my part..... You can keep your fancy D2X Alex.....This way I have an excuse to take boring pictures. LOL

Nicely said William, Alex can have his D2X. I will spend my money on Absolut Vodka!

I am glad you took my post in the positive manner it was intended (its often hard to convery a tone of voice in words!).

I posted it because you are doing such a good job technically and with a bit of care you are ready to leap to the next level. I made the post I did because I can see the potential in your images. A bit more consideration at the time of shooting and your images will leap forward. And being out in Australia at the moment you have the perfect chance to do this.

On the AF point do you have an AF lock? This can be a great way to recompose before shooting.

Alex

Great photos William! I especially like the pair of gobys. Which itinerary did you do on the spoil sport? My wife and I have been thinking of joining Mike Ball but cant decide which boat or trip would be the best..

M.

No AF lock. To AF and recompose you must AF (and the camera must confirm focus is correct)and then hold the trigger half way down while you recompose. You have to be very carefull and do it just right because if the camera thinks that the subject is moving and the camera is still, it will swich in to Servo.

It is quite difficult to hold the trigger half way down in the housing since you cant really feal much feeback to tell the difference between no press, half press, and full press. I am used to the feal of the housing enough that I can do it without too much troubble though. My difficulty is not drifting 1mm closer/further to the subject while I am recomposing.

Great photos William!  I especially like the pair of gobys.  Which itinerary did you do on the spoil sport? My wife and I have been thinking of joining Mike Ball but cant decide which boat or trip would be the best..

 

M.

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Was on the Supersport from Lizard Island to Cairns. They fly you out to lizard Island and you are in the water by 11am that same day. No time wasted driving the boat back and forth from the reef. It definatly is definatly diving in style. The cabins were huge, the food was great.

If I can find the time (and the money) I want to do one of the long spoilsport trips from Townsville. The only problem will be my 20GB portable hard drive wont be enough storage for a week of diving.

Me photographing the bubble coral shimp. Don't I have such good posture.

The only problem with the boat was their small camera table. Now this is the first boat I've ever been on that have been on that had any camera table, But it was fortunate that I was the only SLR on the boat.

Hey William, was Sam Taylor the photo/video guy on the boat when you were there? Kinda looks a bit like Krusty the Clown?

I had Videoman Steve and Kerin was my trip director. Kerin had some of the best dive briefing I've ever heard.

Man, I wish I could just live on that boat.

Those are some truely stunning images. I'm in awwww...

Hey William, was Sam Taylor the photo/video guy on the boat when you were there?  Kinda looks a bit like Krusty the Clown?

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Maby, the name sounds familiar, but I didnt notice him looking like Krusty.

This is great - some real comments from one photographer trying to help another improve. Oftentimes, on the net, I see threads with dozens of people who just say "Great shots" and that is their whole post. Not very helpful, IMO.

Cheers

James

Yep. Thats why I love this place. I wouldn't say that hepfull comments are rare here though. WetPixel is responsible for 100% of my underwater photography education so there must have been a few other helpfull posts.

William,

Great macro - you seem to have that sorted out.

Lizard to Cairns should have included the dives at the Cod Hole , Pixie Pinnacle and Steves Bommie.

I expect you would have had some fantastic wide angle opportunities on your trip,

wondering if you could post a few ??

Mike, Sam Taylor ( the Krusty look alike ) has just gone to PNG to spend 3 months on Paradise Sport.

Best

Peter

If thats the case, then it was Sam. Because he did say he was off to PNG.

There were probably lots of WA opportunitys but I didnt see many. I only did 2 WA dives. Was having too much fun with my new macro lens. + I can't spot WA opportunitys even when I am looking for them.

I am really bad a WA. But I will post some for you. Alex has allready said that my macros are boaring so I might as well come out of the closet and admit I cant shoot a decent WA shot without nasty backscatter.

Of course everyone must take this shot while at Cod Hole. Yep, I can even manage to cut the F'ing tail off on a WA shot. You'd think I should be able to take this shot from the hip but I miss even though I was looking through the viewfinder.

Puffer

Needed to get much closer.

If only there wasnt so much backscatter I might like this one.

Overexposed the forground, my exhaust in the background, and still backscatter. Man I suck.

Not that bad, Perhaps I could have gotten a little lower.

William, don't be so hard on yourself!!!! Point your strobes parallel with the lens and in siltier conditions a little more than parallel. Pull em back a touch past the film plane (sorry digital equiv?) and get em out as far as your arms allow. THats for about 3 feet and further, any closer and aim em beyond the subject.

ps- don't take photos of cucumbers...bad rep for the dive operator..."and all i saw was this" ha ha

Peter- you know Sam? Whats he doin running away from family life so soon? Give him a slap upside the head from me when he returns and of course ask him if he is still flooding cameras....ha ha ha again!!! knock on wood

Yes, I shouldn't be so hard on my self, If I spent as much time at WA as I do on Macro I'm sure I'd be much better. 11 macro dives 2 WA dives? Thats no way to get better. But as I am now, I do suck at it.

I have been thinking about it and I've got some ideas to try next dive. Mainly I want to try holding the camera upside down and shoot 1/500th or less. Anyone ever tryed that?

Ok, next time a dive company makes me mad, I'll make sure to post only cucumber shots and I'll fluff up the water so the visability is horible.

William ,

It looks like you had less than ideal conditions. It is a real challenge to shoot wide angle in dirty water , still you gave it a good shot.

Mike - Sam has taken the family with him ! He has got pretty good at the other ......

Best

Peter

Hey William, here are a few photos and diagrams to look at from my own photo outline. Most people have to pay big money for those! You get em fer free...

Two photos (by me, not good at the drawing stuff) is the age old rule of thirds, its pretty cliche but is great for a starting point. Get your key points of interest, eyes, people etc, near one of the intersecting points. Its cliche but works.

The diagrams are by a friend of mine, Brian Stephenson, they illustrate both good and bad strobe angles and how to cut down on backscatter.

Overall, you are doing the best thing though, get out and shoot shoot shoot!

Thanks Mike. Ive seen thouse diagrams before, but it allways helps to be reminded. As you can see in the pictures of my rig, I've only got single 6 inch arms so that is probably part of the problem.

You know, it would really be nice if camera makers would put AF points that fit the rule of thirds.....