More diving "stuff"

[tpcrawford]

Few more dive photo's

* First two pictures - Black Tip Reef Shark. He was 12' - 14' long. Just cruzin by. Glad he wasn't sizing me up for dinner !

* Third picture - Scorpion Fish. You have to look closely for it. They are VERY nasty if provoked and their bite is poisonous.

* Fourth Picture - Just a causal reef shot. The amount of life on the reef's is incredible. The colors and the sizes amaze me everytime.

* Fifth picture - DINNER !!! :) Carribean Reef Lobster. Notice .... no claws ! During the day, these guys hide. At night, they're running all over the place.

I have ton's more if you'd care to see them.

-Tim

[Diamond Lil]

Post more!!!
Okay, now 2 questions:
How do you keep your composure with a beast like that swimming on by?
And next, why no claws? They usually taste so good. :D

[tpcrawford]

Post more!!!
Okay, now 2 questions:
How do you keep your composure with a beast like that swimming on by?
And next, why no claws? They usually taste so good. :D

Hey Lil,

Actually the first time you do a shark dive .... it's alittle un-nerving. Once you get that first one under your belt, you're good to go. Black Tips, White Tips, Nurse and Lemon Sharks are normally not dangerous. As long as you respect the fact that you're in their house, visiting and don't do anything that would provoke them, you'll be fine. I've seem many a diver try to swim after a shark and touch it. BIG NO NO. Me .... I ususally settle down in a clear spot on the reef and wait for "stuff" to swim by. A shutter speed of 1/125 or 1/250 is usually sufficent to catch them.

Carribean lobsters have armor that covers their body for protection. They also have rows of spines to protect its tail. The Northern Lobsters (the ones we're used to) don't have this armor and use their claws for defense. Not 100% sure how the Carribean lobster evolved. Believe it or not ... there is a 2 week period every year in the Bahama's that you can catch lobsters while on scuba ! The rest of the year, they're off limits.

-Tim

[Diamond Lil]

Tim,
It is still impressive to me. But, even more so attractive.
Are there special ways to photograph under water?

And about those lobster, is there a reason they need all that armor as opposed to our northern one? Do they taste different?
Lil

[tpcrawford]

Tim,
It is still impressive to me. But, even more so attractive.
Are there special ways to photograph under water?

And about those lobster, is there a reason they need all that armor as opposed to our northern one? Do they taste different?
Lil

Hi Lil ....

When you say special ways to photograph underwater ... do you mean equipment or techniques ... or both ?

I imagine they need that armor to woard off preditors. I've had carribean lobster twice. I didn't notice any differance in taste. Yummy !!! .. especially with drawn butter :D

[Diamond Lil]

Tim,
My mind went to the potentials for diffraction of light in moving waters. Maybe it is a non-issue, but that is what struck me.
I'm sure there is an abundance of equipment out there, beginning with cases for cameras and flashes and ending in....well, I truly have no idea.

Now my mind is wandering off thinking about natural predators of lobster....other than me of course. :D

[Diamond Lil]

Answering my own question: moray eels, groupers (especially goliath groupers), loggerhead turtles, and octopods. Thanks google.

[tpcrawford]

Light diffraction is a problem in underwater photography. The best way, I've found, to minimize / eliminate it is to have your strobe on an adjustable arm. The arm will allow you to light the subject and not "light up" all of the difussed particals in the water.

When the strobe is mounted in line with the lens, pictures tend to come out looking "snowy" due to all of the particals being illuminated.

I use a stobe and adjusted arm similar to this one ......

[Diamond Lil]

So now, is the strobe a different sort of flash than used on terra firma?

[tpcrawford]

The strobe and the flash are similar. Major differance is the strobe can go underwater. Most strobes and housings are rating to 200 feet. One other thing ... stobes tend to have larger battery packs. Other than that, they're pretty much cousin's. :)

I have a hotshoe connection on my camera that connects to a bulkhead in the housing which then connects to the strobe (via cable) so that I can use my camera and strobe in TTL mode while underwater.

As you know .... photography isn't cheap. The housings and strobes add to the expense. To prevent me from losing my gear, I have a shock strap that is attached to the bottom of my camera housing. I connect the other end of the shock strap to me while underwater. That way if I ever get "spooked" and drop the rig .... it'll only drop 6' - 8' away from me.

[Diamond Lil]

Do you do video as well?

[tpcrawford]

No, not yet. Thats something I'd love to get into.

[Diamond Lil]

I don't do video either. I have enough difficulty handling still photography.

Post more pics anytime. :D