Nudibranchs from Bali

Hi guys,

Here are my first and best nudibranch photos from my last trip to Bali. This is my first attempt to photograph nudibranchs, so please, don't be shy, critique, tell me which ones you like more. I really want to improve my technique, and I am looking forward to trying to photograph these subjects with my new digital camera. All pictures here were taken with the F100 and 105mm lens.

Thanks,

Luiz

Risbecia tryoni

Risbecia tryoni

Mexichromis multituberculata

Chromodoris collingwoodi

They now have names, thanks to Leslie and Mike! Please critique!

Thanks!

Luiz

Hypselodoris obscura

Hypselodoris emma

Risbecia tryoni

Nice pix Luiz.

Are they shot on Velvia? I would expect them to be - but they don't look like it. Anyway here are my critical thoughts.

Number 1 is my favourite. Composition is perfect for a cover shot. Maybe you should approach Molluscs Monthly? Seriously, though. A tighter composition would help give this shot a bit more impact. Plus it would be nice to see more of the second slug.

Number 2 is nearly very nice - except you have clipped the gills. Even though they are out of focus it doesn't mean that they aren't part of the picture. I'm sure you didn't do this on purpose and once you are on digital its the sort of slip that is corrected immediately.

Number 3. Straight ID shot with good depth of field - and these guys are quite small. Nothing to criticise - although a bit dull.

Number 4. Interesting and dynamic composition. Good focus. Could do with a bit more DOF. Also you have a slightly downward camera angle here - get on "eye" level to increase the impact. But a nice shot in lots of ways.

Hope this helps.

Alex

Hi Alex,

Thanks a lot for the feedback, that's what I was looking for. Yes, they were shot on Velvia, and I did notice that they look kinda washed out too. I am sure I am doing something wrong on Photoshop. The same files look a lot better (more contrasty and saturated) when I view them in Photoshop, I tried a lot of things, convert to sRGB, etc, but they always look washed outside Photoshop, am I doing something wrong? I will buy Ron Reznick's book on digital photography, I really need to learn my post-processing, do you know any other good book on post-processing oriented to nature photography?

What did you think of the three unknown species? I really like unknown2.

Thanks again,

Luiz

Some nice shots Luiz, and as Alex said he first really shines!

Sure would have been awesome if you could have gotten the second slug clear in the background to the side of the first!

I'll leave the critiquing to the real photographers but remember that some of us think id shots are just peachy and not a bit dull. Depends on your point of view, of course. Your three unknowns are Hypselodoris obscura, Hypselodoris emma, and another Risbecia tryoni.

Cheers, Leslie

I'd trust Leslie more than me, but is the first unknown <i>H. kanga</i>?

Alex

I'm really looking forward to going to Bali in September. In fact it is my next dive trip. Here are a few of my nudi pix from my flying visit last year:

That Hypselodoris sp. I think that this shot I'm not down on eye level enough. I had the idea of trying to keep the head and gills in focus - but I think this shot would be better having the slug coming on to the camera more.

Although of a dull P. ianthina the diagonal composition and sinuous shape make this image much more appealing photographically. If only it was a nicer subject.

A red Doto nudibranch and a striped wing oyster on a hydroid. This would look great if I had managed to get a black background. I took this little guy when hunting for and failing to find the yellow pygmy seahorse on the wreck. Least I had a +4 on the 105mm.

This shot is again a bit ID like. Given a little bit extra by the P. imperator on the cheek of the Jorunna rubescens. These guys are really big - and I remember struggling to get it in the frame. I guess that is my excuse for the ID shot!

Alex

Great shots Alex, I really like the nudibranch on the seafan. What do you suggest for post-processing? A book or just trial and error?

Luiz

Great shots Alex, I really like the nudibranch on the seafan. What do you suggest for post-processing? A book or just trial and error?

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I think that you have a colourspace issue. As you say, your images look great in Photoshop, but flat on the web. My browser reads colour space info - but I think that this is stripped when you save for web anyway.

Trial and error is the best way to see how your images work. Although others might be able to tell you the best colour space to use. But whatever you do, test them in Internet Explorer before uploading. IE doesn't read colour space so it will tell you if things are wrong.

Alex

Hi Alex,

It was a color space issue, thanks for pointing it out. I fixed them (I think), can you reload the page and see if they look any better?

Thanks!

Luiz

That's it. They now look like Velvia. Alex

Nice pictures Luis.

I really like pictures number 1, 2 and 6. But I think that number 6 would have been much better with a complete black background that would isolate the nudi more.

Peter

Good! So you say that theese are your first nudi pics? I'm surprised, what a great beginning! They all look fine but I like pics 1, 2 ( I like the DOF here) , 24 and 6 the best. I agree with Pedda abut picture #6.

Nice collection, congratulations Luiz!