When I first joined here and posted a couple of underwater shots, Andreas asked me if I had any shots of seahorses - 3 years late, but here we are!
Not a wall hanger, but I thought I'd show off something different. This was a very difficult shoot for me as it was my first dive with my new U/W setup, and I was trying out loads of different settings, strobe positions, etc and when we found a couple of seahorses they were in hard to reach areas, and the only shot I got against a clean BG was out of focus! I may post up more of a close up portrait at some point, but I'll start with this to show the whole critter.
This is from a macro site at Blue Heron Bridge, Palm Beach, Florida, and it is what is referred to as a 'muck dive' where there are loads of little critters all over the floor which you have to go and search for in the 'muck'. That causes issues with sand getting displaced and causing backscatter, so I had to do some clean up here. There is also a constantly shifting tide, so the critters sway, and as its only a shallow dive (didn't get deeper that 6 metres) the diver also moves in the surge. Seahorses can also get effected by too much flash, so you can only take a few shots (5 recommended) before giving them a break which limits the photographer, but as ever, the animals come first.
Anyway, enough excuses...
Canon 1dx in a Nauticam housing
100mm f2.8L
ISO 200
1/100th f11
It's great to read about your underwater exploits particularly your use of the flash and your concern for your subjects,don't know a thing about underwater photography but all this looks good to me,muck dive certainly worked for you ,well done Mike.
Hi Mike - I like the seahorse and especially appreciate you providing the backstory to the image. I am curious how big the seahorse actually is. I seem to recall that some are very small e.g. less than an inch but don't know how big the larger ones are. I like the pose with the tail wrapped around the coral. I might consider cropping from the bottom to remove the end of the coral in the llc. I know nothing about the colors of seahorses.
Cool subject and great to see Mike. If you have it, then moving the whole frame up, so less above and a bit more would help, as you have a natural trim about half an inch below. With strobes are you limited to SS, could you have at least gone to 1/250 for greater SS???? Looking at he posting there is a lot more depth and fine detail you can get from the file even at this size should you choose to resist the RAW.
Hi Mike -- Cant really comment on the technicalities of the genre of photography, but it must be so amazing to see and photograph all the different life forms beneath the water . Must be requiring some skills definitely. I liked the subject , never seen it before . Will look upto you if I try my hand on under water photography .
Mike,couple in the back story which is utterly fascinating,I find the clarity and detail wonderful in this image.You are a gifted guy mate!! Love the pose of the little guy Mike again the blue and it's intensity, again I find the detail on him stunning. Deeply interesting Mike,this facet of wildlife photography you are sharing with us,thank you so much.
Given the trying conditions you were under here Mike, I feel you've done rather well, granted the good tech advice from Steve and certainly worth a revisit to the RAW file.
Nice shot Mike, good detail, I like the colours too. Hope the Nautical housing is totally reliable!!
Cheers Jon - I got one with a vacuum valve in it so you can test the seal with air prior to getting in the water. Only makes the heart rate about ruining your gear go up about 95% now rather than the previous 100%!
Cool subject and great to see Mike. If you have it, then moving the whole frame up, so less above and a bit more would help, as you have a natural trim about half an inch below. With strobes are you limited to SS, could you have at least gone to 1/250 for greater SS???? Looking at he posting there is a lot more depth and fine detail you can get from the file even at this size should you choose to resist the RAW.
TFS
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for your thought. I'll take a look at the crop suggestion.
The strobes do limit you to the usual sync speed unless you go really specialised and individually house Canons own Speedlights. In reality though, using the Canons for high speed sync rarely works as the water absorbs so much of the flash power you need a longer duration than the HSS output. The way of working with shutter speeds is also different with this genre, and the flash does the stopping power, and we often use slower shutter speeds than on land where the slow speed would normally ruin the shot.
I did toy with adding a bit more 'oomph' to the shot but this was quite a dull subject colour wise and this is a pretty accurate rendition - always the argument of pushing it for a more pleasing outcome though.
Awesome capture of this little Seahorse, a first on BPN - am I right?
I also think you could give this some more pop, if only to please us your humble happy fans? Here's an attempt and I am sure you can do much a better job if you start from RAW, I just could not resist playing around. Maybe you should plan a trip to SA sometime, I know a great place for underwater photography, the name is Sodwana Bay. This is where the ancient Coelacanth was discovered by Scuba divers, only 90 km from my place, pristine beaches, huge sea turtles, lots more...Let me know
Awesome capture of this little Seahorse, a first on BPN - am I right?
I also think you could give this some more pop, if only to please us your humble happy fans? Here's an attempt and I am sure you can do much a better job if you start from RAW, I just could not resist playing around. Maybe you should plan a trip to SA sometime, I know a great place for underwater photography, the name is Sodwana Bay. This is where the ancient Coelacanth was discovered by Scuba divers, only 90 km from my place, pristine beaches, huge sea turtles, lots more...Let me know
Warmest regards,
Thanks for the RP Gabriela - it's the age old question of accuracy to the subject, or an aesthetically pleasing result. No doubt yours has more vibrant tones and more 'eye appeal' .
I had a quick search and didn't see any other seahorse images - I might try and post another sometime!
I'd love to get over to South Africa one day - both above and below water, you have access to many wonderful shark species. Just a pity about that little thing called money!
Hi Mike sorry for being very very late to your party .... thanks a big bunch to not forget my wish
I do love a lot of sea creatures / critters but the family of seahorses/ dragons are a very special family . I did keep some species in the past at work and even bread them .... so i do have a special relation to them .
It must have been great to photograph them in the wild even if conditions have been tough .
I do like the overall image and the sponge he is holding on is a very nice contrast to the seahorse itself.
I think i would go with the others regarding tone and contrast a bit more oomph would not hurt , the crop i would revisit and get a clean LHS .
Just wondering where all the fringing is coming from ? Is it because of the strobe ?
Lovely work and i bet not easy to achieve .... love it!!!
If you have more please present more .
Hi Mike sorry for being very very late to your party .... thanks a big bunch to not forget my wish
I do love a lot of sea creatures / critters but the family of seahorses/ dragons are a very special family . I did keep some species in the past at work and even bread them .... so i do have a special relation to them .
It must have been great to photograph them in the wild even if conditions have been tough .
I do like the overall image and the sponge he is holding on is a very nice contrast to the seahorse itself.
I think i would go with the others regarding tone and contrast a bit more oomph would not hurt , the crop i would revisit and get a clean LHS .
Just wondering where all the fringing is coming from ? Is it because of the strobe ?
Lovely work and i bet not easy to achieve .... love it!!!
If you have more please present more .
TFS Andreas
Thanks Andreas, all points noted.
The fringing is a bit of a problem with macro U/W photography, as we generally have a flat port in front of the lens which adds an extra piece of glass not perfectly designed for photography.
With wide-angle we use dome ports which restores the original angle from the lens and avoids this, so some photographers are now experimenting with small domes for macro. You lose a bit of magnification but the end result can be better.
A seahorse for Andreas
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Originally Posted by Jonathan Ashton
Here's an attempt and I am sure you can do much a better job if you start from RAW, I just could not resist playing around. Maybe you should plan a trip to SA sometime, I know a great place for underwater photography, the name is Sodwana Bay. This is where the ancient Coelacanth was discovered by Scuba divers, only 90 km from my place, pristine beaches, huge sea turtles, lots more...Let me know
