Bumphead Napolean Wrasse

[Mike Poole]

178484


Hi all, apologies for not being around for a while - life got in the way of photography!

I've just returned from a few days in the Red Sea, and whilst it wasn't the productive trip for photography (we kept getting moved sites at the last moment meaning I was often going in with the wrong setup and no time to change) it was good to fire off some frames.

This was from a really tough dive out in a channel whilst looking - unsuccessfully - for dolphins. The current was ripping and I was exhausted about 45 minutes into the dive when we happened upon a friendly bumphead napoleon wrasse that tolerated close passes. Amazing how you get a burst of energy when an opportunity presents itself!

Canon 1dx in a nauticam housing
Sigma 15mm fisheye
twin sea and sea ys-d1 strobes
ISO 800
1/250th f14

Mike

[haseeb badar]

Hi Mike -- great to see you posting, really missed your underwater images.

A lovely looking subject , loved the details and colours . the rays penetrating the water gives a very nice effect and those small fishes are adding to the overall scene .nicely done .

TFS !

[Marc Mol]

Loving the lighting, detail and colour here Mike, wondering if more mid tone contrast boost in the light rays and surface top water are worth investigating.

TFS

[John Mack]

Whoa. Neat looking fish. The small fish help give this some depth. The composition is well balanced and i like the light on this one.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Mike - Welcome back! You've been missed. I always love your underwater images and the water is so clear here. It's tough to critique for me because I am not sure what the scene looked like but thought the image could use a bit more punch. I also find my eye drawn to the brightest part at the top of the frame so trimmed it slightly. WDYT?

TFS,
Rachel

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely image...I like what Rachel has done with the colour.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Awesome capture Mike, a beauty of a Wrasse. Subject well placed within the frame and some lovely detail, I really like the eye :S3: BTW we've been missing your underwater images:w3

Loved the colours in the OP but when I saw Rachel's RP I liked it even more. Would have been nice to see a tad more of the reef in the lower R corner as it balances the image nicely and gives context.

Very nice frame overall, such a pleasure to view. Thank you so much for sharing!

Kind regards,

[Mike Poole]

Loving the lighting, detail and colour here Mike, wondering if more mid tone contrast boost in the light rays and surface top water are worth investigating.

TFS

Cheers Marc, I'll certainly give it a go, the rays are what really appeal to me in this shot, so anything I can do to emphasise ten is worth trying

Mike

[Mike Poole]

Hi Mike - Welcome back! You've been missed. I always love your underwater images and the water is so clear here. It's tough to critique for me because I am not sure what the scene looked like but thought the image could use a bit more punch. I also find my eye drawn to the brightest part at the top of the frame so trimmed it slightly. WDYT?

TFS,
Rachel

Thanks Rachel, I like your RP. I always like shots with the 'cathedral rays' as they're often called, but I agree I can lose a little as per your crop.

It's always really interesting to me when skilled people re-edit my U/W shots, and I tend to find the RP has more punch. I suppose, being underwater there is less contrast but yours (and others previously) usually produce a version with more 'screen appeal'. Thanks for taking the time to do it

Mike

[Mike Poole]

Awesome capture Mike, a beauty of a Wrasse. Subject well placed within the frame and some lovely detail, I really like the eye :S3: BTW we've been missing your underwater images:w3

Loved the colours in the OP but when I saw Rachel's RP I liked it even more. Would have been nice to see a tad more of the reef in the lower R corner as it balances the image nicely and gives context.

Very nice frame overall, such a pleasure to view. Thank you so much for sharing!

Kind regards,

Thanks Gabriela, there may be one or 2 more U\W images incoming over the next few days...

Rachels RP is nicer, agreed, I like her colours. There is a bit more reef available lower right but I cropped a little tighter as it was out of strobe range, so its just green rocks as opposed to having the interesting colours it had in real life. I may try a loosen it a little though

Mike