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UwP 1
April/May2002
a web magazinea web magazine
Underwater PhotographyUnderwater Photography
El Hierro
Secret Bay Lembeh in peril
Manado
RelationshipsEnvironmentallyfriendly?
Fish portraits
Infrared film
O ring maintenance
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Nikonos? Subal? Nexus?
Bonica Snapper£99 from Ocean Optics
Photographer?Andrew Pugsley
Ocean Optics Saturday staff
Tel 020 7930 8408 Fax 020 7839 6148
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22 Lembeh in peril
by Constantinos Petrinos
24 Manado
with Mark Webster
30 Hitchhikers
by Steve Norvich
4 News & Events
8 New Products
12 El Hierro
with John Collins
16 Secret Bay
By Demelza & WillPostlethwaite
18 Environmentallyfriendly?
by Alex Mustard
Underwater PhotographyUnderwater Photographya web magazine
April/May 2002e mail [email protected]
Contents
Cover photo byMark Webster
32 Gone fishing
by Mark Webster
36 Infrared
by Mark Mumford
40 Where next?
by Gilbert Park
42 O ringmaintenance
by Peter Rowlands
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Last summer Andrew (AJ) Pugsley and Steve Warrenwere lucky enough to be invited to dive in standard or heavygear by Peter Wingett and Cheryl Hugil. Peter and Cheryl havelong been clients of Ocean Optics and arranged for the boys todive under the auspices of the Historical Diving Society in theAtlantic Tank at London Aquarium. At the London Dive Showthey were able to put something back by supplying camera anddiving equipment for the HDS stand which took underwaterphotography as its theme. Many of Britains pioneerscontributed equipment and their prescence to the show.
Optics took along a selection of cameras from the 1970sas well as a rare Calypsophot and bulb flash obtained just 72hours prior to the show. The lads also displayed several twinhose regulators and diving accessories from their personalcollections.
Optics helps HDSwith LIDS Exhibition
South African wildlife photographer EdwinMarcow, HDS officer John Salsbury and AJPugsley from Ocean Optics at LIDS
Ocean Optics News, travel & events
Visions in the Sea began afterSteve made a throw away commentduring a wine soaked Optics event.
Colin Doeg took the commentseriously and all attempts to put thegenie back in the bottle failed.
In 1997, unsure as to whetheranybody would even turn up, wethrew our first Visions conference atthe London Aquarium. Our topspeaker was the Ikan marine lifeguide publisher and renownedunderwater photographer HelmutDebelius. And making his debutpresentation was a little knownGreek by the name ofConstantionos Petrinos.
The conference was a sell outand the rest, as they say, is history.
Visions in the Sea 2002 - November 16/17th 2002
Delegate Jukka Nurminen andspeaker Alex Mustard from theYoung Underwater PhotographersGroup during a slide clinic.
Discussing the latest developmentsin strobe lighting with Gary Clarke.
Checking out entries for the printcompetition. Tony White won thegrand prize of a Nikon digitalcamera presented by LondonCamera Exchange.
Constantinos Petrinos (left) atVisions 2001
Since then presenters have includedMartin Edge, Mark Webster, DonaldTipton, Douglas David Seifert, KurtAmsler and Peter Scoones.
This years conference isexpected once again to be a sell out.The event takes place at ImperialCollege, London November 16thand 17th, . At the time of writingspeakers had yet to be confirmed.
It is known that a specialevening one man show will bepresented by top underwatercameraman Peter Scoones.
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SLR pool Intros in London
For further details about the news, travel or events on these pagesplease contact Ocean Optics on 020 7930 8408
or e mail [email protected]
Ocean Optics new SLR Course will provide clients with theopportunity to use state of the art equipment like this Nikon F100under experienced supervision.
Help!
This American made housingfor a 16mm Eclair movie cameraseems to date from the earlyeighties. Recently added to ourhousing collection we’d bedelighted to hear from anyone withinformation about it. We’reparticularly keen to find out whichproductions these fully professionaloutfits might have been used on.
Any help would be greatlyappreciated.
Please contact Ocean Opticson 020 7930 8408 or e [email protected]
Computer Concernswith strobes
Dive computers that monitorgas pressure via a radio link can beaffected by underwater flashunits.Sometimes the transmission of thisinformation is briefly inturruptedwhen the strobes fires and then theunits reconnect. However in somecases they do not and all gaspressure information is lost for theremainder of the dive. There are nohard and fast rules about whichcomputers and which strobes arelikely to be affected. Caution isadvised.
Ocean Optics is set to begin running pool based introductions tounderwater SLR photography. Recognising that potential underwater SLRowners find it difficult to try equipment before making purchasingdecisions, the Optics team hope the hands on experience will help clientsbetter understand the pros and cons of different equipment combinations.Workshops will take place in central London in cooperation with CityDivers and diving equipment rental is available.
To maximise the learning experience Optics has invested in OceanTechnology System radiophones to enable instructors to coach studentsunder the water.
The full day program will include classroom sessions and will coverthe benefits of SLRs underwater, lens selection, strobe choices and will beillustrated with images by some of the finest underwater photographers.Students will get to shoot with the latest Nikon camera bodies and lensesincluding the F100 and F80.
According to company owner Steve Warren “ this is one moreindication of Ocean Optics intention to be much more than just an ordinaryretailer. We’ve already invested heavily in staff training, sending membersof the team to the Red Sea to observe video taping for Blue Planet, to SouthAfrica to shoot sharks and on courses run by Kurt Amsler and Martin Edge.We’ve organised workshops for clients with Kurt, Linda Dunk andConstantionos Petrinos and we run the annual Visions in the Seaconference. We’ve recently launched UWP and the new pool eventscontinue our drive to offer the best all around support to our clients”.
Please contact Ocean Optics on 020 7930 8408 or e [email protected]
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Buoyancy Clinicsin London
Optics owner Steve Warrenhas been penning safety features forBritish diving magazines for someyears now. Steve ( A former BSACinstructor and Branch Trainingofficer and a PADI MSDT) isparticularly concerned withbuoyancy training.
Poor buoyancy control haslong been identified as a majorcontributing cause to divingfatalities and accidents. It’s also acause of damage to dive sites.However it is often glossed overduring entry level training - all thebuoyancy instruction most diversever receive.
Now Ocean Optics is to offerbuoyancy control clinics in London.These will help divers to betterunderstand the many factors thataffect both buoyancy and trim. Forunderwater photographers whosediving skills need to be virtuallysubliminal in order that they canconcentrate on photography nearperfect buoyancy control isessential. The clinics will includeboth informal classroom discussionsand pool work where students willbe personally coached underwaterusing our Ocean TechnologySystems radiophones.
Optics will use BuoyancyTraining Systems Incorporateds’Diamond Reef program for thecourses. The underwater assaultcourse was developed by NAUI andPADI instructor and commercialdiver Peter Wallingford over adecade ago and has receivedconsiderable praise from dive safetyexperts and approval from NOAA.Steve was the first instriuctor towork with this system in Europe,back in 1992. Along with using theprogram to train new divers, he alsoused it to evaluate BCDperformance when runningequipment testing for DiveInternational Magazine.
For details call Steve on 0207930 8408.
Kurt AmslerWorkshop
Kurt Amsler is one of veryfew people in the world to make aliving from underwater photographyand reportage. The Swissphotographers images and wordsappear internationally and hisfeatures have been translated timeand again. Kurt is the author ofnumerous books including severalof the popular Swan Hill diveguides and a major coffee tablebook on the Maldives.
It’s important to understandthat a workshop with Kurt is a veryserious matter. You’ll work your assoff. There is absolutely no point inattending unless you areunwavering in your intention todramatically improve on the imagesyou’ve taken before.
The annual English languageKurt Amsler workshop will takeplace at Les Lecques on the FrenchRiviera in September. The five daycourse costs £695.00 includingshared room in a country guesthouse with breakfast and eveningmeal, boat diving, film andprocessing. Transport is notincluded.
This is a rare opportunity tolearn from a master photographerwho holds nothing back. For moredetails call Andrew Bell on 0207930 8408.
Ocean OpticsChooses OceanTechnologyRadiophones
The radiophones selected byOcean Optics to teach it’s newcourses were provided by OceanTechnology Systems.
O.T.S. are a long establishedAmerican company. Their systemsare used by the military, search andrescue teams and by commercialdivers.
Voice communication comesinto it’s own anytime complex taskshave to be accomplished or whensign language becomes inadequateto get the message across. O.T.S.clients include many film makers,including Howard Hall. They’vealso been used on the Flipper andBond sets.
Optics will use them to coachclients through using underwatercameras. This will be much moreefficient than constantly surfacingto explain a point or technique andfaster than using slates. Thecompany has invested in twoprofessional voice activated multichannel units for crew and fourreceivers for students.
Using receivers will avoidstudents having to master the use ofmouth masks.
O.T.S. units were selectedafter Steve Warren and Sid Thakerhad worked with sports versions inthe Red Sea four years ago.
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Sunday 17th November - Monday25th November 2002
Bonaireunderwater photographycourse with Linda Dunk
Martin EdgeTravels with my camera:Kungkungan bay
Friday 27th September - Sunday 6thOctober 2002.
As always, Linda will be onhand to review films when theycome back from processing, andwill be encouraging participants to‘share your shots’ with the group!
Join the Master Craftsman ofunderwater photography on a trip tothe world famous home of weirdand wonderful creatures:Kungkungan Bay
Charles HoodThe Channel Islands ofSouthern California
Saturday 14th September - Sunday22nd September 2002
6 days diving including bothboat diving around Catalina itselfand all day shark diving trips outinto the Pacific Ocean.
Divequest underwater photography trips
BahamasTurks & CaicosTobagoBonaire, VenezuelaLittle Cayman, BelizeHonduras, ThailandSipadan, MabulLayang LayangDerawan & SangalakiBali, Komodo, Wakatobi,Manado, Kungkungan BayPalau, Yap, TrukAustralia's Coral SeaPapua New Guidea, SolomonsFiji, Hawaii, Sea of CortezRevillagigedo IslandsCocos Island, The GalapagosKelp Forests of California
DIVEQUEST The Ultimate in Underwater Photography Adventures ATOL Protected 2937
Telephone: 01254-826322 or e-mail [email protected] website: www.divequest.co.uk
Plus Underwater Photography Group Trips and Courses with leading photographers:
Martin Edge, Linda Dunk, Malcolm Hey, Charles Hood, Gavin Anderson
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Produced for use on BBC’sBLUE PLANET these housingsrepresent the latest units frommany years of development withbroadcast television equipment.
Cameraman Peter Scooneshas designed and producedunderwater cameras both for theoffshore industry and latterlysolely for his own use.
These units are now beingproduced and offered to otherusers.
Digital Betacam with the SonyDVW790 WS cameras are withoutdoubt the most powerful andversatile production cameras forwidescreen television.
As these units are essentiallycustom it is possible toaccommodate special facilities ifrequired.
The Mk 3 housing hascontrols for on/save/standby, stop/start, zoom, focus, iris var, irisman/auto, gain, detail var, gamma(manual/preset), gamma var, knee(manual/preset/auto), knee var,filter/ND, lens extender, masterpedestal, red/blue pedestal, whitebalance, camera bars/test, manualB/A, and red/blue gain.
The latest versions Mk3 andMk4 Have slightly increased frontbarrel diameter to accommodatethe new generation of digitallycontrolled lenses.
For transport the cameraassembly comes in two fitted fabriccases. Two inch Closed cell foampadding all round allows housing totravel through normal airlinehandling facilities
TWO NEW HOUSINGS FOR DIGITAL BETACAM CAMERASfromPeter ScoonesUnderwater VisualSystems
For those who want a no frills approach the Mk.4 housing features all theessential controls, card setup, white balance andis supplied with amonochrome viewfinder.
Particularly adaptable for Underwater use, the wide colour range andprogrammable setup card features of DVW cameras, are fully accessed withthe MK.3 housing. Full manual control is available via a built in CCUgiving ultimate picture control when used underwater with the highresolution colour viewfinder.
New products
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The housing can be vacuumedto test for any possible leaks.This is a simple process whichwill tell you if the housing isnot waterproof before youenter the water.The vacuum pump plugs ontoa camera battery and takesaround two minutes to get asuitable pressure.A Suunto altimax gaugemounted inside the housing isused to monitor the pressure
This all aluminium housing can be precisely trimmedfor neutral buoyancy.Shot taken in Sipadan.by G. Douwma
The housing is suppliedwith a ballast trim lock underthe housing into which weightcan be added and positionedto achieve perfectly neutralbuoyancy.
For further details andto discuss your individualrequirements, please contactPeter Scoones by e mail
UwP 10
The Gates Diego housing for the Canon XL1 iswhat you’ve been waiting for!
The Diego is machined from a solid block ofaluminum for superior strength, and has all manualcontrols for that famous Gates reliability.
Two ports are available, for use with either the16X or 3X lens. The Diego utilizes a Canon XL1 EVF,mounted externally in an attached housing for yourviewing convenience (Specifiy NTSC or PAL).
The Diego housing for the Canon XL1 comes withGates unparalleled quality and reliability backed by anexclusive 2-year warranty, unprecedented peace ofmind for your investment..
Diego Controls
• Power On/Off • Run/Stop • Zoom • White BalanceMode • Still Photo • White Balance Control• Manual Focus • Neutral Density Filter• Iris Control • Color Correction Filter• Auto/Manual Focus Switch
Housing dimensionsw/o handles15.75" L X 11" W X 10.5" Hw/ handles15.75" L X 14" W X 10.5" HWeight of housing 22 lbsWeight in water neutralDepth rated to 250 feetViewfinder is a modified XL1 EVF, color
The New MX-5II,available in blue andyellow, incorporates all ofthe quality features built into the MX-5.
A wide 28mm f/9focus-free lens for crispclear images, automatic film advance and rewind, anLCD panel with frame counter, film load confirmation,and low battery indicator, and a clever hingedSportsfinder that folds down over the lens and doublesas a lens protector.
A strobe mount on the MX-5II allows quick andeasy attachment of the newYS-20A. (Available March)
The YS-20A has been engineered exclusively for
Gates Diego HousingFor Canon XL1
Sea & Sea MX-5II
Audio moisture detector alarmBuilt in external color correction filter
Gates Underwater [email protected]
the MX-5II. It isultra light, compactand easy to use. Nodials, no decisions,it automaticallydelivers clear,
colorful pictures. The YS-20A also features an infraredoptical triggering system to synchronize the strobe withthe camera shutter; there are no cords or cables andtherefore no chance of flooding at the flash connection.(Available Mid April).
For further details go to www.seaandsea.com
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Digital cameras haveseemingly come from nowhere tomake a massive impact on entrylevel camera sales at Optics.
Replacing the gap in ourproduct range left after we ceasedtrading in Sea and Sea film cameraslast year, it’s easy to see theattraction. The user friendliness andversatility of digital systemscombined with remarkably keenpricing makes it hard for similarlypriced film cameras to compete.
By comparison these arebeginning to look increasinglyexpensive. So the beginner andcasual shooter is extremely wellcatered for with a wide choice ofdigital systems to choose from.
So far it’s been much moredifficult for serious underwaterphotographers to use digitalunderwater, a reflection of both how
Nikon Coolpix 5000earns the Support of the Major Housing Players
technology dependent the activity isand the lack of equipment beingmanufactured to meet the needs ofthe specialist.
However during 2002 thatlooks set to change with severalmajor European housingmanufacturers staking their claim inthe emerging digital market. UK,Sealux and Subal have allannounced housings for NikonsCoolpix 5000. This will give digitalenthusiasts access to small,lightweight aluminium housings.The five megapixel 5000 offersexcellent close up capability andaccepts several wide angle lenses.
Subal, and we assume, theircompetitors will produce domeports to fully extend the benefits ofthese lenses to underwaterphotographers. Additionally thesehousings all allow use of Nikonos
fit strobes.This last point is a
breakthrough. Until now off cameralighting has been difficult to fitsatisfactorily to most Digitalsystems. Many cameras do not haveflash connectors for external strobesand even fewer housings providethem. Those that do often requirethat the strobe is fired manually -most underwater strobes are Nikoncompatible and won’t workautomatically with non Nikoncameras. The housings we’ve seenproposed for the 5000 all usestandard Nikonos V connectors andwill allow a degree of automaticflash control with most modernstrobes.
Ocean Optics has alreadyplaced orders for the Subal 5000housing. It should be available inlimited quantities shortly.
ToysToysToysToysToys
willwillwillwillwillsoonsoonsoonsoonsoon
serious
getgetgetgetget
The Subal housing for theNikon Coolpix 5000 is coming soon.
Underwater photography will turn a corner.
UwP 12
Mention to people today thatyou have just been to El Hierro andmost will immediately reply‘where’s that?’. A few hundredyears ago, however, any travellerworth his salt would certainly haveknown of the smallest CanaryIsland. From ancient times, whenPtolemy declared El Hierro to bethe ‘edge of the world’, it wasconsidered to be the last point onthe ‘flat’ world, right up to themiddle ages. The zero meridian ofLongitude was established at PuntaOchilla on the western tip of theisland and retained this title right upto the mid-nineteenth century. TheGreenwich of it’s day, as it were.Since then, however, this beautifulisland has slipped quietlyintoobscurity.
It has even managed to escapethe mass developement of itsneighbours, Tenerife, Lanzarote andGran Canaria. The mountainousterrain and lack of big beaches hasproved to be it’s saviour. The resultis an uspoilt haven on land and sea.A UNESCO biosphere reserve now,its rugged beauty has beenrecognised and recently protected.Approaching the island after the 4hour ferry trip from Tenerife, youwould not think so. From afar, itappears little more than a rocky,windswept island in the middle ofthe Atlantic.
Driving away from theferryport however, closer inspectionreveals a unique landscape.Spectacular cliffs falling over 1200meters and the distorted shapes oflava formations contrast with thegreen hills of the central plateau.Here, 1500m above sea level, theland is fertile and the small holdingsare reminiscent of the west ofIreland - complete with stone walls.
The coastsare rugged andoften pounded bystrong waves onthe north, thedirection of theprevailing winds.The south coast onthe other hand, inthe Mar de lasCalmas, or Sea ofCalms, offersunrivalledconditions fordiving.
For thisreason, the villageof La Restinga onthe southernmosttip of the islandtends to be wheremost diving isbased. The sea area here has been amarine reserve since 1996. If youhave dived before in Tenerife orLanzarote, you will find El Hierro avery pleasant surprise.
First Impressions
I had travelled to El Hierro atshort notice, which was well timedas I had just taken delivery of anN10 housing for the F100. Here wasan excellent opportunity to give it arun and soak up some wintersunshine to boot.
Despite being virtually
unknown in the diving travel scene,El Hierro is a firmly establishedfavourite among Spanish divers,their best kept secret.
It is the site for the annualunderwater photographicchampionships
www.openfotosub.com - agreat week in October by allaccounts, open to all.
In the water, the first thing younotice is that the water here is agood 2 degrees warmer than say,Lanzarote, at about 23 degreescentigrade (in November). Thisgives a very ‘cosmopolitan’ mix of
El HierroThe Quiet Canaryby John Collins.
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marine life. There are some fish thatare familiar from diving at home,others that you would recognisefrom the Mediterranean and sometropical critters that you wouldassociate with coral diving. Addsome dramatic rock formations, anintense blue water, typically with 30metre visibility and you have arecipe for some nice diving. Thereare about 15 dive sites within a 10minute RIB journey from the smallharbour of La Restinga - some are amere 3 minutes away. Beingvolcanic islands rising from greatocean depths, there is no continentalshelf around these islands and thewater within a half of a mile fromshore plunges to thousands ofmetres deep. This means that seeingpelagic species - the big boys - is areal possibility, particularly on thesites further from shore. This divingis adventurous with sheer wallsdropping to great depth and strongcurrents and so recommended forexperienced and fit divers.Inshore,the diving is very pleasant, 10 - 30metre rocky bottoms and very easygoing. The rocks themselves arecovered in plant life and sponges,giving them a grassy green colourand it is this aspect alone thatdifferentiates El Hierro from coraldiving. With so much sunshine aclear water however, the algae growreally well and gives rise to thelarge range of species to be seen.
El Bajon
This is the classic offshore siteon the southern end of the island.Just half a mile from La Restingaharbour, this pinnacle is rises fromgreat depth to just 9m from thesurface. There are two permanentmoorings set by local dive centresand once the boat is tied up thecurrent is guaged by observing for afew minutes. The currents areoceanic and affected by wind andother variables and so notpredictable like tidal streams.Almost always, there will be somewater movement, so listening to thedive brief and following the plan is
a must. You might think that whenthe current is strong, it is not worthdiving but it is the current thatbrings the beasties. On a circuit ofEl Bajon, you are likely to see largeschools of amberjack, tuna andbonito. Occasionally, turtles andmanta are seen here.
The trick is to keep an eye onthe blue, which is not always easythere is so much happening on thereef itself. Particularlydecompressing, the top of the rockis a delight with small fisheverywhere, from brightly colouredparrotfish to the strangetrumpetfish, more familiar in coralwaters. El Bajon is worth at leasttwo dives.
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El Archo
The Arch is a deep dive to 40m. The mooring is inmuch shallower water (as is the case with many sites),so there is a bit of a swim to get to it.
Pacing your finning will give you better airendurance, so it is worth taking your time rather thanracing down to depth. The arch itself is impressive, astark shape contrasting with the blue backround. It iscovered in black coral - which appears greenunderwater - and is generally home to a school of gullyjacks. These are large silver fish that just hang out in theshadow of the rock as if sheltering from the sun. Theswim back up the reef is very pleasant, finishing thedive in about 6 - 8 metres.
Baja Bajarones
These are two underwater ‘mountains’ as theguides call them, a bit like coral bommies in the RedSea. After a swim from the mooring, you reach 25m andthe two pinnacles are easily seen. There is a lot of fishaction here, and plenty of moray in their lairs, enjoyingsome cleaning from small lady scarlet shrimp.
La Restinga
The inshore waters near the harbour areremarkably good, given where they are. This is largely
due to the fact that some 750 hectares here are a marinereserve. Of the several sites Punta Restinga is one themost enjoyable. These sites are generally the seconddive of the day, so not as deep and certainly not asprone to current. You will commonly see grouper froma modest 30cm size to huge sheep size ones. These arevery curious and will come to investigate divers. Theyseem particularly interested in their reflection in theglass dome of camera housings, coming right in untilthe bounce back ! Other exotic fish more characteristicof the tropics that can be seen here are unicorn fish andporcupine fish, the latter, of course known for blowingup into a ball in defence. It is seriously bad form to tryto harrass these fish into doing this. Night diving ispossible from the harbour, best done from the last set ofsteps on the pier. It is a plain sandy bottom but home tolots of critters you are unlikely to see by day.
There are large stingrays, which can give you a bitof spook in the dark, as well as octopus and smallsharpnose pufferfish. Watch out for the extra charge fornight diving however, as it can be excessive and lazyguides will simply bring you around the boat moorings.
El Dessierto
Like many of the simple names on the dive sites,The Dessert is aptly named. This the generally thefurthest site dived from La Restinga taking about 15 -20 minutes in the RIB. On hearing the description ofthis site, I opted to photograph it in black and white,using Agfa Scala film. This produced images very likewhat this site felt like. You descend a normal rockybottom to begin with but this soon gives way to abizzare black sand.
At about 35 metres, the sand lightens again andlarge colony of garden eels can be seen swaying gentlyin the food bringing current. Turning to swim backalong the rocky reef, you are greeted by a large, verycurious grouper who is happy to hang around as long asyou are. Along the sand, stingrays and large butterflyrays will occasionally be seen resting, while back in theshallows snake eels were seen by many divers as wellas lots of morays.
Great, two dive site.
Further afield
The best of the sites around La Restinga can bedived in three days. If the sea is calm, a real adventureis to go west to Punta Ochilla (the lighthouse) andfurther on to Los Roques de Solmar on the Northwestcoast.
These are a series of rocky sea stacks andsumerged rocks that attract pelagic animals. Here, youcan see Hammerhead and other sharks, turtles, tuna andmanta rays. This site has been described as ‘THE’ bestin Europe.
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F100 and Photography Notes
And how did the F100 fare, I hear you ask?Marvellously. Having used the F100 on land for almost18 months, I was comfortable with it1s general features.Underwater, it is a joy to use. Focus wise, I now neverfit a focus gear. The camera can focus more quickly andpositively than I can, despite many years manuallyfocussing F8011s and F901s with all sorts of lenses.With a choice of 5 focus areas, you do not tend to‘bullseye’ the focussing. In low light, for example thecave with the gully jacks, I could barely see the fish.Raise the camera, touch the AF button and zip -focussed. I found this aspect of the camera incrediblecompared to the F90X.
I also found the matrix metering excellent. Someof the shallow sites, in bright sunshine, are verycontrasty but frames exposed using matrix were as goodas careful spotmetering. One problem I did have waswith flare in the dome. I use an 18mm now instead of a16mm fisheye for extreme wide angle but had a lot offlare using the fisheye dome. So, smaller domes areprobably preferable. Also, some of the sites lendthemselves to narrower wide angle.
I had some very pleasing results using a favouriteland lens, the 35mm F2.
Film wise, 100 speed is perfect for most sites,though I used Multispeed rated at 400 for some of thedeeper sites, like the arch.
A day or two exploring the island to photographtopside would not go amiss also, it is a much morevaried landscape than the other Canary islands.
Essential Reading
‘Diving in Canaries’ by Sergio Hanquet is anindispensible guide to diving El Hierro, as well as theother islands. In many years of dive travel, I don’tbelieve I have seen a better dive guide book anywhere.The photography is superb, there are accurate andcomprehensive details of all the sites and detaileddescriptions of all the marine life you are likely toencounter. Highly reccommended.
Check www.sergiohanquet.comfor details, the book is easily picked up at a dive
centre on Tenerife or El Hierro.
John CollinsKinsale
Travel Info
Getting to El Hierro requires a littleplanning but is not difficult. A holiday charterflight to Tenerife is easily arranged through atravel agent here. The ferry from Los Christianosis operated by Trans Mediteraneana and operatesseveral times weekly. Car hire can be arrangedlocally. There are many appartments to rent in LaRestinga, the dive centres are happy to organisethis. Eating out is very good and cheap, as is thelocal beer ‘Dorada’.
El Hierro has an excellent web site with allcontact details at
www.el-hierro.org.I travelled with Shane Gray of Scubadive
West, one of Irelands best dive centres. He hasbeen organising escorted trips since October lastand these are excellent, particularly for groups.
In typical Scubadive West style, everythingis laid on and extremely well planned.
Details at www.shanegray.comAs the island is not as tourist based as the
other Canaries, a little Spanish is essential.
UwP 16
Muck dives, black sand or‘critter hunts’ have always provedto be a favourite among underwaterphotographers, nudibranch freaksand scientists on the look out forsomething new to bear their name.Indeed locations which can providefor these enthusiasts andprofessionals have reached almostdevotional status. The recentpublication of lavish coffee tablebooks depicting the stunning andfreakish marine inhabitants of theseincongruous dive sites is furthertestament to their popularity.
Now, I’ve never been knownto keep a secret for long and a bayknown by just a handful ofphotographers is certainly a secretworth sharing. If I also let slip thatdiving here will cost you a meresliver of the wad demanded by itsinfamous native counterpart, itshould be enough to get your triggerfinger twitching.
Located on the arid western tipof the spirituous island of Bali,Secret Bay follows the establishedpattern for muck diving venues inits appearance from the surface. Farfrom being a tropical idyll the bay ispositioned close to a ferry terminusand the slightly grotty shoresupports fiddler crabs, a scatteringof litter, half a dozen shabby fishingvessels and a small dive resort, atthat time host to a single Japanesephotographer and his assistant.
Leaping eagerly from ourcomfortable transport we could seethat the tide had some way to comein before our guide, Romon, wouldbe satisfied of the best conditionsfor diving. Our attempt at a cheery,get to know your fellow diver type‘Good morning’, in either Englishor Japanese to the resorts guest wasmet with purposeful ignorance sowe were whisked off for a quicktour of the local attractions.
Previous to this trip we hadvisited similar sites in Papua NewGuinea, Southern Sulawesi and theLembeh Strait so it was withaccustomed eyes and highexpectations that we waded in to thewater.
Within five minutes Will’s 60mm lens was occupied with aFlying Gurnard while I struggledwith depth of field on the 105 mmand an Ornate ghost pipe fish.
Nudibranchs peppered theblack sand, porcupine fish peereddolefully from the rims of discardedtruck tyres and isolated anemoneshoused shrimp and angry damselfish. The dive was typically shallowand therefore film was the primarylimiting factor to our dive time.Having earlier made the impudentcomment ‘If I see Frog fish andSeahorses then I will be happy’ Iwas ruthlessly reminded of it afterthe next dive, having spent 36exposures on nothing but Frog fishand Sea horses!
Secret Bay is sometimesreferred to as Gilimanuk which isthe location for the terminaldespatching and receiving ferriesfrom Java. A large horseshoeshape, it is dotted with mangroveislands providing a huge area toexplore.
During our shore diving forays
we simply decided on an entry pointand a rough direction of travel andafter a couple of days our sightingslist included Ambon scorpion fish,dragonets, pegasus sea moths andsome very large brown sea snakes.Many of the nudibranchs weresimply unidentifiable, purple andorange lilliputian sized snailsinched along decaying palm leavesand seahorses cruised between thesandy cones made by snake eels.
Our fellow diver from the
Secret BayBy Demelza & WillPostlethwaite
Secret Bay follows the established pattern for muck diving venues in itsappearance from the surface.
A seahores fills the frame with a105mm macro lens
UwP 17
resort spent six hours in the waterprotectively guarding the lair of amimic octopus.
Not far from Secret Bay liesthe island of Menjangan. This isdeservedly one of Bali’s mostpopular dive sites and the mainlandis thus able to support a handful ofboutique hotels. The individualthatched cottages, kingsize bed,voluminous mosquito nets, horizonswimming pool, stunning open airbathrooms and lush gardens createda tranquil tropical haven for wearydivers and non divers alike.
Photographically our time herewas very productive, equalling thatof more well known areas. Annabelof Aquamarine Diving in Bali is aspecialist in dealing with thedemands of underwaterphotographers and will produce atailor made trips for individualswith startling professionalism andrefreshingly realistic prices.
For those of us unable toafford the likes of Lembeh or thoseon the look out for new mecca ofmuck diving, Secret Bay should beon the top of your list .
Demelza & WillPostlethwaite
Marine wildlife ignores man’s rubbish
A snakelock anemone on the sandy seabed
Frogfish are in plentiful supply
A weird dragonet
UwP 18
As I write this I am on a planeheading across the Atlantic towarmer climes. And I am greenwith envy. The reason is that I havejust put down the latest issue ofOcean Realm with a portfolio oftheir best images from the lastsixteen years. I would love to haveshots of that quality in myportfolio. I would do anything! Butis this a good attitude? From anenvironmental standpoint, how farshould I go to get a shot?
Underwater photographershave a pretty environmentallyunfriendly reputation in the divingworld when it comes to lookingafter the marine environment. Askany diver and I am sure they willhave stories of the photographer ontheir recent dive trip who smashed
corals and terrorized the fish. We allknow it is perfectly possible to takewonderful underwater pictureswithout harming the environment(the Ocean Realm shots are greatexamples), but our bad reputation isbeginning to stick. A recent paper inthe scientific journal BiologicalConservation suggested that thereefs of the country I am flying to,would be better protected by“banning access to users thought todo the most damage - novices andphotographers”. One of the authorsof this paper works for theDepartment of the Environment, soit is not far fetched to suggest thatsuch recommendations couldbecome law. Unless we dosomething we could be banned fromour favourite reefs in years to come.
Environmentally friendlyunderwater photographyby Alexander Mustard
Moving subjects.The black coral crab lives, as itnames suggests, in black coral.However this one has been movedand photographed on a brownsponge. Is this acceptable?Nikon F100 + 105mm lens. 2 xYS120. f16 @ 1/250th. Velvia 50.
What I hope to achieve withthis article is to raise awareness ofthis issue, that most of the time wewould rather ignore. I do not intendto lay down the law; regulations areof little use if there is no way andnobody to enforce them. What Ihope is that we all consider, that bitmore frequently, what is acceptablebehaviour. Our most effectivepolicemen are ourselves. Who else
UwP 19
Fish feeding.Fish feeding would go on without photographers, but should we take photoson fish feeds and bait animals for photography?Nikonos V + 15mm. 1 x YS120. f6.7 @ 1/60th. Fuji Sensia 100.
is with us on every dive?My opinion is that this
problem is two fold. First, as agroup, photographers do damagethe environment. We can’t deny it,all divers do from time to time. Andwhile I know many photographerswho always put the environmentfirst, our collective reputation hascome from somewhere. Second, Ialso believe that there is a problemwith perception: the diving worldtends to tar all photographers withthe same brush. Sometimes gettinga camera out on a dive-boat elicitsthe dirty looks that you mightexpect if you were about to take apet crown of thorns starfish downwith you!
Physical damage to theenvironment, such as breaking andkilling marine life, is inexcusable.In almost all cases no one sets outto damage the reef, but from time totime our desire to get the shotexceeds our diving ability. I am notjust talking about a relatively newdiver, who has not yet mastered thefiner points of buoyancy control,this is just as true for the seasoned
Animal arrangements. This unique “discovery” was pointed out to me onone dive. Unusual behaviour or underwater gardening?Nikon F100 + 28-70mm lens, +2 dioptre, flat port. 2 x YS120. f11 @ 1/250th. Elitechrome 100 Extracolour.
UwP 20
Legless.This Dendronephthya or candy crab has lost a leg. Isthis natural or the result of too much persuasion byphotographers and other divers keen to see it? It is acryptic animal relying on camouflage for defence - if itis found it is eaten and would be unlikely to loose a legto a predator. Nikon F100 + 105mm lens, +2 dioptre. 2x YS120. f16 @ 1/250th. Velvia 50.
photographer pushing to get that much closer or rushingin to capture that elusive creature. The best solution isto make thinking about the environment part of ourdecision making process both before going in to takethe shot and while shooting. So as well as consideringthe exposure and composition of a shot, we shouldcheck that we are doing damage with our flash arms,contents gauges, fin tips etc, and leave well alonesubjects that are showing signs of stress. And when wedo digress, we need to hold up our hands and admit it.Letting the other divers on the boat know that weweren’t damaging the reef intentionally is important. Ifwe say nothing divers will conclude we do that on everydive.
A greyer area comes in subject manipulation,which includes baiting and feeding subjects, enticingand corralling animals and environmentalrearrangement. To some extent views on these subjectswill always remain personal. There are an increasingnumber of codes out there that not only provide veryuseful sets of guidelines, but also help to address theperception that photographers don’t care. In the UK theBritish Society of Underwater Photographers areworking with the Marine Conservation Society to drawup a code of conduct.
The Environmentally Aware Photographic ImageCompetition promotes UWP that is non-stressful formarine life, and states that it will exclude images withdivers damaging the reef or with animals being fed,showing signs of stress, in unnatural locations or beingtouched. This must be the way forward.
To add to the problem, it seems that these days wedon’t even have to do the dirty work ourselves. On atrip to South East Asia, I found dive guides so eager toplease that they would move animals around for me. Onoccasion I would come round a corner of the reef tofind all sorts of strange animal configurations; at timescoral gardens were rearranged to such an extent Ithought I was diving with the BBC’s Groundforce. Thebehaviour of our guides is completely ourresponsibility; it is the client who must define what isacceptable.
Finally, I think that it is important to get somegood PR! Definitely part of the problem is a lack ofunderstanding on the part of divers of whatphotographers are up to. Taking time to add a sentenceto an article, a talk or an after dive chat in the bar willprovide the facts to correct misconceptions. There are
bad feelings out there, which as photographers, oftentravelling with other photographers, we are not alwaysexposed to.
I would like to conclude by adding someperspective. Of course, underwater photography is notall bad. Most of the time great pictures are takenwithout harming anything and underwater images havegiven the population at large a better understanding ofwhy the marine environment should be conserved. Thebenefit of pictures as posters for conservation isincalculable. Coral reefs are not about to be wiped outby the actions of underwater photographers (althoughthere are plenty of other threats lining up to do the job).That said, as the documenters of this fascinating andbeautiful realm we should be doing and be seen to bedoing our utmost to conserve it.
Further readingBonaire Marine Park photography guidelineshttp://www.bmp.org/html/
underwater_photography___video.htmlEPIC Photography Competitionhttp://www.epicphotocontest.org/
rules_regulations.htmBSoUP and MCS Codehttp://www.bsoup.org/code.html
Alexander Mustard
UwP 21
I ordered the video and it arrived last Monday. I've only had a chance to view it today. I wasso profoundly moved (and I am a hard bitten first world war historian) that I had to email you.I was impressed with virtually all aspects. I thought the balance between interviewees, divingfootage and historical context was spot on. This is something not always achieved indocumentaries - I know because I used to make them. The interviews with the survivors threwthe whole affair into stark relief. I cannot praise this video highly enough. And I thank you foryour web site.
Warm regardsPamela Armstrong12/1/02
HMS Royal Oak video
The wreck of HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow is a designated war grave and alldiving is prohibited but in 2000 a special permission was granted for the wreck to be filmedas a moving tribute to all those who lost their lives.
This new professionally produced 50 minute video includes underwater images ofthe wreck which have never been seen before and there are interviews with survivors andOrcadian Sandy Robertson who was the first diver to go on the wreck the day after shesank. Also included is coverage of another unique event when the ashes of DorothyGolding, wife of Bandsman Arthur Golding, who went down with the ship, were taken downby her grandson, Christopher Kilford, and placed in the wreck to reunite the couple.
The finale is the unfurling of a battle ensign on the upturned hull by a Royal Navydiver on the anniversary of her sinking and the final credits include the names of all thosewho died in the tradgedy.
Running time 50 minutes. Narrated by Tom Fleming. Produced by Ocean OpticsLtd. Directed by Peter Rowlands
The video costs £16.95 (+£2.50 UK postage). Total £19.45. Please send chequespayable to Peter Rowlands and send them to: Royal Oak Video, 13 Langley Avenue,Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6QN. Credit card tel & fax 020 8399 5709
http://www.hmsroyaloak.co.uk
“a workmanlike, professionalproduction, and worth viewing”
John Bantin, Diver magazine
UwP 22
13 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AQTel 0207 930 8408 Fax 0207 839 6148
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UwP 23
The Lembeh Strait is a unique diving environmentlocated in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Most divers,photographers in particular, are aware of the LembehStrait for its unique biodiversity. Indeed for most diversit is a dream dive destination.
In the year 2000, I spent five months in theLembeh Strait working for my book “Realm of thePygmy Seahorse”. Apart from fame, glory and the hugeprofits associated with uw photography, my hope wasthat this book would become a tool to convince localauthorities to give Marine Park Status to the LembehStrait. It seems that I have failed along with so manyphotographers and videographers that praise thebiodiversity of the region in their work.
Mark Ecenbarger, owner of Kungkungkan BayResort (the famous resort of the Strait) just informed methat already there has been construction of four coldfish storage companies and two ship yards in thesouthern end of the Strait.
In addition the agreement with the localauthorities that the Northern end of the Lembeh Straitwould be reserved for tourism seems that it will beviolated. The plans for the immediate future are to builda 2000 ton cold storage and slipways in the Northernend of the Strait (in the area of the famous dive sitecalled “Hairball”). These facilities will handle 1,000fishing boats per year thus destroying some of the bestdive sites in the Strait.
The resort management has not been able to seeany environmental reports that assess the damage or notto the area.
Kungkungkan Bay Resort has been operating inthe Lembeh Strait for 10 years in harmony with thelocal community. The Resort is responsible for makingLembeh Strait known and for working hard towards its
preservation. Ihave been asked
Lembeh Strait: Paradise in Perilby Constantinos Petrinos
Kungkungkan Bay Resort has been operating in theLembeh Strait for 10 years in harmony with the localcommunity.
by the management to publicize this imminent threat tothe environment of the Lembeh Strait. The intention isto let divers know that the Strait is in serious trouble.
You can help as individual divers by making thisknown.
I will be visiting the Lembeh Strait duringJanuary, February and March 2002 and I will let youknow of any developments through UwP magazine.
Constantinos Petrinos
German magazine TAUCHEN used one of Constantinos’spictures for the November 2001 cover of the magazine.The TAUCHEN subscribers/readers voted his image as thebest TAUCHEN cover shot for 2001.The shot was taken with a SUBAL Nikon F4 and 60mm.
UwP 24
by Mark Webster
Manado Location Report
UwP 25
As underwater photographerswe are always seeking newlocations to feed our obsession andit seems that never a day goes bywithout some sage revealing yetanother perfect location withendless subjects just waiting for youand your camera. Whilst enduringfavourites like the Red Sea andCaribbean still attract us andprovide plenty of photoopportunities, a new ‘Holy Grail’has emerged in the last couple ofyears, that of the vast islandcomplex of Indonesia. Theattractions of Indonesia have beenobvious for quite some time and hasbeen a very popular destination withantipodean divers and moreadventurous Europeans andAmericans. However it is onlyrelatively recently that UKphotographers have begun to travelto the area regularly, but with such alarge number of destinations tochoose from in the archipelago it issometimes difficult to make achoice which will give you thedesired facilities and photoopportunities. With this in mind Ithought it may be useful to pass onsome practical guidelines to an areawhich is emerging as almost ideal interms of accessibility, diving varietyand a splendid selection of subjectsto keep even the most ambitiousunderwater photographer happy.
The location is the northernend of the island of Sulawesi and,although this area is not geared upas a ‘tourist destination’ in theclassic sense, the area around theport town of Manado provides allthat a diver will need and someinteresting diversions for non diversas well. Travel to Manado is verysimple with the most popular routebeing via Singapore and thenonward on a Silk Air connection tothe international airport close to thetown. There are also connectionsavailable via Bali and Jakarta (SilkAir and Garuda) which can maketravel arrangements more flexibleand enable you to take advantage ofreduced air fares. The onlydrawback for we photographers isthe pitiful standard baggage
allowance of 20kg which is barelyenough for your diving equipmentlet alone the essential photographicitems. This allowance may behigher if you are flying in from theeast (i.e. from the USA or Australia)but it is wise to check the allowancefor both flight legs when you book.Some airlines (e.g. SingaporeAirlines) do offer an extra 10kg forsports equipment at a reasonable feebut in general, particularly in thisprevailing climate of higher securitywhich limits hand baggage, youneed to be prepared to bite thebullet and pay for excess weight.Having done this you can check
your bags all the way through toManado, although I always prefer toconfirm that they have been loadedwhen I check in for the connectingflights!
The secret to the attraction ofManado is the proximity of twototally contrasting marine eco-systems, that of the BunakenMarine Park and the LembehStraits. The Bunaken Marine Park islocated on the west coast of thepeninsula and provides spectacularclassic coral reef and wall divingwith a variety of rare and unusualcreatures thrown in. The LembehStraits are on the east side of the
The Tasik Ria Resort has perhaps the best equipped dive boats for theserious photographer.
Large sea fans reach out into the current on the walls. There are also hostto small gobies, crabs and long nosed hawk fish. Nikon F90X, 16mm fisheye, Subal, Isotecnic 33TTL & YS30, Ektachrome EBX, f11 @ 60th.
UwP 26
peninsula, only 40km away, andoffer the alternative of unique muckdiving conditions in which astaggering array of rare marinedenizens thrive and are reliablyfound on every dive. So you areliterally spoilt for choice and youcan choose to split your timebetween both locations or evenchange your plans during your stayif the you find the lure of one isstronger than the other.
This part of Indonesia iswithin an area of volcanic activityfamously known as the ‘Ring of
Fire’, which includes big names likeKrakatoa which erupted massivelyin 1883 and more recently Mt.Angung in Bali which didsignificant damage in 1963. Thereare many extinct, sleeping andactive volcanoes in the region andthis has produced some of thespectacular underwater scenery inthe Bunaken Marine Park. Theproximity of the equator, large tidalrange and the intermingling ofwarm and cool currents propagateshigh levels of nutrients in the watercolumn which in turn supports the
diverse range of marine life forwhich this area is now renownedfor. The large tidal range can meanthat strong currents will prevail onexposed dive sites which is good forbig fish activity but not if you wantto take macro photographs! So youneed to choose a good dive operatorwho understands the local tidalconditions and the needs ofphotographers to ensure that youhave slack water on the best siteswhen you need it. Due to thearrangement of the islands inBunaken there is generallysomewhere sheltered from the tidealthough the currents can do strangethings on reef promontory’s andeven change with depth. Strongcurrents are also experienced in theLembeh Straits, but are a little morepredictable here and there are siteswhich are accessible at all states ofthe tide. Although the currents mayoccasionally pose a challenge tophotography they are of course thereason that the area supports suchdiverse life forms and so shouldreally be appreciated! However,wherever you choose to dive Iwould recommend that you carry a“marker sausage” or extendable flagand an air horn on your BC directfeed in case you get carried awaywith your dive too literally.
There are a variety of divingresorts both north and south ofManado on the west coast whichoffer varying degrees of comfort.There are also some dive operatorsbased on Bunaken Island whichoffer a base closer to the diving butwithout sophisticated facilities.Choosing Bunaken Island as a basewould suit those only interested indiving in the marine park andsurrounding islands. Most divingcentres use local style boats whichare stable diving platforms but lackthe facilities that you may havecome to expect in the Red Sea forexample. The one current exceptionare the boats operated by the EcoDivers, based at the Tasik RiaResort, which follow the design of atypical Egyptian day boat(constructed in glass fibre) and are
Traditional local boats are used to ferry divers in the Lembeh Straits. Allthe beaches feature the same black volcanic sand.
Commensal shrimps are difficult to spot at other locations. Here almostevery sea whip has a shrimp or goby at home. Nikon F90X, 105mm, Subal,Inon quad flash, Velvia f16 @125th.
UwP 27
very spacious and comfortable. This may be aconsideration if you are spending a day at sea and needspace for camera preparation. There are some liveaboards which operate seasonally but their itinerariesgenerally take them farther afield from this area.
The wall dives in Bunaken have all the featuresyou would expect on a healthy coral reef . The shallowwall tops are dominated by hard corals which are insuperb condition in many places, whilst the walls aredecorated with large sponges, graceful sea fans,numerous sea whips and vividly coloured soft corals.Intermingled with this are more hard corals and thewhole spectacle is populated by exotic Indo Pacific reeffish from tiny gobies on sea whips to herds of grazingbumphead parrot fish in the shallows. The challenge forthe photographer is of course not only to capture theobvious species but also those which rely oncamouflage for predatory purposes or protection.Elusive creatures like robust and ornate ghost pipe fish,leaf scorpion fish, stone fish and numerous others canbe found by chance but a better bet is to use the skills ofa local dive guide who have incredibly sharp eyes and
Soft corals are found in vivid colours and will matchthose found in the Red Sea. Nikon F90X, 16mm fish eye,Subal, Isotecnic 33TTL & YS30, Ektachrome EBX, f11@ 60th.
The hairy appearance of this crab links by name it toanother indigenous land species, the orang-utan. NikonF90X, 105mm, Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia f16@125th.
Every feather star hides a secret. Some are tiny likesquat lobsters and shrimps but even the larger tenants,like this harlequin ghost pipe fish, are difficult to spot.Nikon F90X, 105mm, Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia f16@125th.
are simply invaluable to your quest. If your taste is forbigger blue water cruisers then there is a chance to seeall the usual suspects. Schools of barracuda, trevallyjacks, turtles, several species of sharks and apparently
UwP 28
The pigmy seahorse has become aholy grail to photographers visitingthe area. These are tiny subjectswhich need at least 2:1magnification. Nikon F90X, 105mm+ 2X converter, Subal, Inon quadflash, Velvia f16 @125th.
the occasional whale can all appearfrom the blue or from the depths offthe walls.
Closer to the coast off Manadothere are numerous shallow waterreefs which offer coral formationsin conditions which range from verygood to rubble either as a result ofwave action or from past blastfishing techniques which are nowbanned. The visibility on theinshore reefs is variable but is rarelyas bad as say a UK dive and is morethan adequate for tracking downyour quarry and close upphotography. The attraction of thesereefs is the variety of subjects whichinclude those ghost pipe fish again,blue and black ribbon eels, crabblennies, prawn gobies and theirpartners, mantis shrimps, snake eelsand frog fish in various hues. Youwill also find that prized macrosubject, the pigmy sea horse, whichwill definitely need the help of aguide to find and will astound youwhen you see just how small andwell camouflaged they are. I made along decompression dive on a reefclose to the Tasik Ria Resort wherea large sea fan sports at least five ofthe creatures. I was only able to seeand photograph two of them andthat was challenge enough as theywill only partially fill a frame at2:1! These coastal reefs are alsoexcellent for night diving when awhole new cast of characters willemerge. Twin spot and dwarf lionfish, juvenile cuttle fish and squid,crabs and squat lobsters in soft andhard corals, leaf scorpion fish and awhole cast of sleeping fish willsoon consume your film.
Your first impression of theLembeh Straits may be one ofdisappointment as you descend inoften gloomy vis onto a darkvolcanic sand or rubble bottom
which might appear lifeless.However, all is not what it seemsand you will soon realise that thereis amazing variety here, but it allvery well camouflaged. This areahas of course received a boost fromthe release of a book byConstantinos Petrinos, the ‘Realmof the Pigmy Seahorse’. Whilstthese awkward little devils can alsobe found here this symbolrepresents only a fraction of themacro treasures you will find. Onceagain, you will need the help of anexperienced guide to make sure youget the best from your dives. Afterseveral weeks here you may wellbegin to spot the more unusualspecies for yourself, but most of uscannot afford that luxury. You willfind the guides are both willing andenthusiastic in their quest and youare certain to be faced with moressubjects than available film - twocamera systems are not a luxury
here!Each dive site boasts a
particular species speciality,although they all have an amazingvariety. Some are good fornudibranchs where you will findupwards of twenty five species in asingle dive. Others are havens forfrog fish, ghost pipe fish, cockatoowasp fish, Inimicus scorpion fish,snake eels and numerous otherrelatively ‘common’ species.Certain areas of the shore lineplunge straight into the waterforming shallow walls which areoverhung by trees and vegetation.Here you will find a riot of colouras invertebrates and sponges fightfor space on the wall. Deeper waterspecies like sea fans are also able tothrive here, due to the lower lightlevels, and you will discover aselection of gobies, cling fish andcrustaceans who make their homeon these corals. The walls bottom
UwP 29
The flamboyant cuttle fish looks dulluntil you pass your hand over it -then colours will ripple across itssurface. Nikon F90X, 105mm,Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia f16@125th.
out on rubble reefs with outcrops ofcoral which are peppered withfeather stars which, if not host ghostpipe fish, are home to tiny crinoidshrimps and squat lobsters. Thesetake a great deal of patience to findand even more to photograph athigh magnification. Much has beenwritten about Lembeh and I havefound that little of it has been
exaggerated - if you enjoy macrophotography then you will beoverwhelmed by the choice ofsubjects.
So Manado has manyattractions for both the seriousphotographer and those who simplyenjoy spectacular reef diving. If thatis not enough then there are jungletrips, volcanoes, waterfalls, white
water rafting or simply islandhopping to enjoy. This contrastingexperience costs little more than aquality live aboard week in the RedSea and promises a cornucopia ofphotographic subjects which areconsidered rare at other locations.
Mark Websterwww.photec.co.uk
Define your imageDefine your image
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Kurt Amsler is one of the elite few tomake a good living out of underwaterphotography. From natural historyphoto-essays to imaginativeadvertising shoots, Amsler’s imagesinfluence photographers all over theworld.
This world class photographer and teacher isnow set to share his successful techniques withclients of Ocean Optics.Kurt will host a one week workshop in SouthernFrance this September.Places are strictly limited. For full details callSteve, Andrew or AJ.
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UwP 30
While the technical side of photography isnecessary for good images, it is hardly sufficient, forwithout subjects to photograph, there will be nointeresting images created. Searching for photographicsubjects is aided by understanding relationships withinthe marine environment. This includes knowing thehabitat of marine animals, knowing what they eat, andknowing about relationships that occur with otheranimals.
One of these types of relationship iscommensalism, wherein one partner lives in closeassociation with another and benefits from therelationship while providing neither benefit nor harmto the partner, and another is mutualism wherein bothpartners benefit (as opposed to parasitism wherein onepartner benefits while the other partner is eventuallyharmed). This article talks about one particular type ofcommensalism and mutualism, with several examples,wherein one partner receives shelter and transportationfrom its partner
Coleman shrimp are normally found in pairs onthe toxic sea urchin, Asthenosoma varium, also called afire urchin, with the female being the larger of the two.Coleman shrimp move amongst the poisonous spinesand pedicellaria without incurring harm but they usuallyclear an area of these obstructions where they perch.They make beautiful photographic subjects and are easyto photograph as they have every confidence that theyare secure on their poisonous perch and do not moveabout as other shrimp often do.
Hitchhikers on the Reefby Steve Norvich
Hitchhikers on the Fire Urchin, Asthenosoma varium,an example of commensalismPericlimenes colemani (family Palaemonidae) orColeman Shrimp
The white and dark brown striped Urchin crab isanother guest of the fire urchin often occurring on thesame animal as the Coleman Shrimp.
Whereas the Coleman Shrimp only lives on thefire urchin, Urchin crabs live in association with avariety of urchins. The last segment of its leg forms ahook to hold onto the spines of the sea urchin. It can befound singly or in pairs
Urchin Crab Zebrida adamsiiUrchin Crab on fire urchin
Swimmer crab on urchin Actinopyga
UwP 31
Often found on the sea cucumber Actinopyga, theswimmer crab is commensally associated receivingtransportation and protection. It is often found with theEmperor Shrimp discussed below. While the swimmercrab benefits from the relationship, the sea cucumberdoes not.
Emperor shrimp hitch rides on various partners; Ihave seen them on sea cucumbers of various speciesand nudibranchs of various species including Risbeciatryoni, Ceratosoma trilobatum, and Spanish Dancers.
Their coloration varies according to the“transportation partner” they ride on, but I am uncertainif they are able to change coloration if they happen tochange transportation. Not content merely to relax andenjoy the ride, they are constantly on the move,normally perched near the substrate looking for food to
Emperor Shrimp on Actinopyga
Emperor shrimp (near gills) of Risbecia tryoninudibranch
pass by; I guess this is the marine version of “meals onwheels”?
In addition to providing the potential forsustenance, the noxious reputation of nudibranchs alsoprovides some degree of protection since predators arereluctant to ingest them. But the relationship is reallybi-directional as the shrimp keep the nudibranch freefrom parasites.
These animals are sometimes easy to photographand at other times incredibly frustrating, moving aroundlike puppies on their transportation host.
Most of these subjects can easily be shot at 1:1with either a 60mm or 105mm lens. The exception isthe zebra crab which was shot with a tele-extender.
Hopefully this discussion of hitchhikers on thereef will give you an idea for photographic subjects andwhere to find them.
Steve Norvich
Emperor shrimp on sea cucumber near substratelooking for next meal
Emperor shrimp on Ceratosoma trilobatum nudibranch
UwP 32
For most divers who aretempted to take up underwaterphotography perhaps the mostattractive subject are the fish thatwe find in both temperate andtropical waters. This attractionendures as we gain moreexperience, but although we mayconquer the technicalities ofcapturing an image, fish persist inbeing one of the most challengingand often frustrating subjects tomaster. Although fish are perhapsthe most plentiful subject availablethey can also be the mostuncooperative, wary and just plaindifficult to compose well. But aswith most subjects underwater youcan improve your results by thecombination of correct equipmentchoice, techniques and of course agreat deal of patience!
You can use almost anycamera system and lenscombination to shoot fish in avariety of ways, but if you want toget close up and personal and seizethe character of individual fish thenyou really need to work with ahoused SLR system. The attractionof these cameras is not just thereflex viewing but also thetremendous flexibility of the macrolenses available which enable youto shoot subjects from infinity allthe way down to reproduction ratiosof 1:2 and 1:1. The other essentialadvantage is the absence of prodsand framers which will distressmost subjects. Dependant on thesubject you are pursuing, there arethree specific focal length groups tochoose from - 50-60mm, 90-105mmand 180-200mm. There is also a 70-180mm macro zoom available fromNikon which covers all three groupsin one lens, but is also the mostexpensive option both for the lensand the purpose built port to matchit. The shorter focal lengths are bestsuited to images of whole fishwithin their habitat, groups of fish
or perhaps part of a shoal or evenlarger fish at a distance. A 50/60mmmacro lens can also be used at closequarters for portraits or detail shotsbut you may often find that you gettoo close for the comfort of your
subject at higher magnifications. Ifyour desire is to shoot fish portraitsor small shy reef fish then theworkhorse lens will be a 90/105mmor perhaps a 180/200mm for reallyawkward subjects. The longer focal
Gone fishingwith Mark Webster
Rock beauty - territorial species may well swim off initially, but if you settleon the sand and wait their curiosity will get the better of them. Have yourcamera and flash set up to go as each visit may be fleeting. Nikon F90X,60mm, Subal, YS120 & YS30, Elitechrome EBX, f11 @ 60th.
Pork fish and grunts -the 60mm macro lensis perfect for most fishphotography. You cancapture a small schoolof fish like this, zoomin on a single fish orget closer still for adetail shot or a macrospecies. Nikon F90X,60mm, Subal, YS120 &YS30, ElitechromeEBX, f11 @ 60th.
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technology (F4, F90X, F801) whichhave a centre weighted auto focussensor you must become adept atusing the single servo AF functionor AF lock, both of which allow youto ‘lock’ the lens after initiallyfocussing on the subject whilst yourecompose for the perfect shot.
TTL flash works reliably withfish photography as the subject willmostly dominate the frame andpresent reasonably even contrast.However, there are circumstanceswhich can fool even the mostcomplex systems, which includevery reflective silvery fish and thosethat inhabit pale sandy sea beds.These situations can cause yourflash to underexpose the scene andwhere experience tells you this mayoccur it is time to resort to manualflash exposure or apply some
exposure compensation using thecamera’s controls. You don’t needbig wide angle strobes for this styleof photography, although you willneed a reasonable amount of power(perhaps an u/w GN of 28-33) forshooting fish from a distance withthe longer macro lenses. One or twoflash guns can be used effectivelyon easily adjusted ball joint or flexiarms - positioning will dependlargely on the location of the subjectalthough you may want to extendyour guns forward of the housingfor longer shots. Somephotographers are turning to ringflash for macro subjects using the105/200mm lenses, but thesespecialist guns can also be veryeffective for stand off shots of fishfrom surprising distances withoutincurring backscatter. Guns like the
John Dory - this species appears in our coastal watersin the early summer. If you don’t rush your approachthey will often pose patiently. Nikon F90X, 105mm,Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia, f11 @ 125th.
Big eye Squirrel fish - a classic fish portrait which alsoshows something of the reef habitat. Nikon F90X,105mm, Subal, YS120 & YS30, Velvia, f11 @ 60th.
length of these lenses allows you tomaintain a greater working distancefrom your subject which oftenkeeps you out of the very sensitivepersonal space parameters whichmany fish possess.
Auto focus can be a real assetin fish photography as it allows youto concentrate on your approach andcomposition of the image. However,you must be aware of the point offocus and central point of interestwithin the image. This is more oftenthan not the eye of the fish and it isessential to focus on this initiallybefore you recompose the shot. Thelatest cameras available (F5, F100,F80) have the option of selectingthe point of focus within the frame,which can offer significantadvantages particularly where thesubject is static. For users of older
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Inon quad flash have a guidenumber of f11 at a metre (100ASAUWGN 33) and being port mountedwill always be close to the subject.The other less obvious attribute isthat fish are apparently less nervouswhen approached by a ring flashthan they are by one or more strobeslooming above them which theymay see as a predator.
Obviously if you are settingyour sights on particularly largesubjects in shallow water, such asbasking sharks, mantas or whales,you will need to use a combinationof wide angle lens and natural light.You can let your camera calculateexposure for you in aperture orshutter priority mode, although mypreference is to set the cameramanually and use spot metering toread the light accurately throughoutthe image area.
Whatever lens, flash or filmyou have chosen, we are all facedwith the same problem - how to getclose enough to your subject?Firstly you must try to imaginewhat the fish makes of yourappearance - this large noisy marinepredator, making a determinedapproach probably with the intent ofconsuming you! So the firstobjective is to demonstrate that youpose no threat to your subject bymaking very slow calm movementslooking for signs of distress andbeing prepared to stop and remainstatic in one position for long
periods or retreat if needs be. Thenoise from your bubbles can alsodistress some fish so it helps tobreath very slowly and regularlywith steady exhalations. Byadopting a slow and very patientapproach you will eventually beaccepted as a part of the reef sceneand overcome the natural fear of thesubject and perhaps even earn someco-operation.
Fish are naturally curious andoften territorial and will respond tothis gentle approach by becomingincreasingly inquisitive by makingrepeated passes and even posing forthe camera. If you are able to visit asite regularly then you will findyour subjects will becomeincreasingly co-operative and somefish will appear as soon as youarrive to apparently greet you.
Initially you can concentrate onapproaching the more sessile andstationary species of the reef such astopknots, scorpion fish, tom potblennies or in the tropics perhapsmoray eels and clown fish. Thesefish are either so convinced of theircamouflage that they will let youmake a very close approach, or theymake their home in a fixed locationand whilst may act defensively theywill rarely move far from it.
Researching your targetspecies to get familiar with theirbehavioural characteristics andhabitats can also pay dividends.Busy tropical reefs are excellent forfish photography, not least due tothe number and variety of brightlyhued subjects. The density of thereef population means that many ofit’s residents are distracted by
Three band butterfly fish - coral fishare great subjects. Brightlycoloured, boldly patterned andterritorial. Nikon F90X, 105mm,Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia, f11@ 125th.
Nurse shark - unless there is foodabout sharks will not often stay formore than one or two frames.Having the camera set up with‘standard settings’ at the beginningof the dive will help you capture achance shot. Nikon F90X, 16mmfish eye, Subal, YS120 & YS30,Elitechrome EBX, f11 @ 60th.
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defending their territory or watching for their naturalpredators that they will sometimes totally ignore thediver. So next you can begin to concentrate on theterritorial species on the reef which may appear to moverandomly at first, but careful observation will reveal thelimits of their reef patch and often a repetitive ‘patrolroute’ which will enable you to position yourself forone or more passes. Another example is cleaningstations which are a great place to encounter all sorts ofspecies, or you might choose to concentrate on aspecific habitat such as black corals or gorgonians insearch of long nosed hawk fish. Certain very shyspecies are often associated with specific corals such aslemon gobies in table corals or the very elusive leopardspotted blennies in acropora corals.
Having practised your techniques on these speciesyou can move on to the more challenging schoolingvarieties. Although it is most comfortable to dive inslack water conditions, you will often find thatschooling fish, particularly plankton feeders, preferareas where there is a current running. In thesesituations you will often find that these fish will toleratea closer approach but this will involve either swimming
steadily against the current yourself or where possibleusing the shelter of the reef to make a close approach.
There are locations where there are residentschools of fish or the fish have become so accustomedto divers that they show no fear or may have beentaught to expect an easy meal. The ultimate example ofthis are the organised shark feeds which are so popularin the Caribbean - you will certainly get your pictures inthese situations but for me a part of the challenge ismissing if your subject is performing for a reward.
Many experienced photographers prefer to divesolo and there is no doubt that the best fish pictures aretaken when diving on your own or well separated fromyour buddy. Diving operators are becoming moreliberated in their approach to solo diving, but you wouldbe well advised to check before booking an expensivetrip if this is your aim. There are occasions when abuddy is useful to either interact with your subject orperhaps encourage a school towards your lens, butgenerally two divers will spook your fish especially ifthe other one is a non photographer circling impatientlyin the background!
Taking good fish photographs is not easy butgetting the shot you want after that long wait is veryrewarding. Once you have the co-operation of yoursubject don’t be afraid to use film, perhaps an entireroll, as you never know when the right circumstanceswill prevail again for that particular species.
There is no magic formula but patient persistencewill normally pay off and whilst you wait you will oftenfind that other fish will show an interest in beingphotographed which could be a bonus or even a goldenopportunity.
Mark Webster
Whip coral goby - small fish require macro techniquesand knowing where to find a particular species willmake spotting them much easier. Nikon F90X, 105mm,Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia, f11 @ 125th.
Lemon goby - these little fish are shy but very territorialand will repeatedly return to the same perch on theirtable coral. Pre focus on this spot and wait patiently.Nikon F90X, 105mm, Subal, Inon quad flash, Velvia, f11@ 125th.
Mark is the author of ‘The Art and Technique ofUnderwater Photography’ published by Fountain Press.Mark’s website is: www.photec.co.uk
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“The man must be barkingmad!” I hear you say!
Well you must have recalledmy article in Issue One aboutgetting your local developer tocorrectly print negative films, andyou remembered that colour levelsdrop off very fast underwater, withreds being the first to go. If this isthe case (and it is!), then what onearth would we want with infraredfilms underwater?
You may also recall from mythat article that one solution to theproblem of colour loss is to shooton monochrome film stock, as blackand white film doesn’t really carewhat colour is in front of it. AndKodak manufactures an infraredblack and white film. Is it starting tofall into place yet?
KODAK High Speed InfraredFilm is a high-speed film withmoderately high contrast, sensitiveto light and radiant energy to 900nanometres (nm) in wavelength. It
is useful for [atmospheric] hazepenetration and for special effects incommercial, architectural, fine art,and landscape photography.
Infrared films are sensitive toinfrared radiation, some ultravioletradiation, and to all wavelengths ofvisible radiation (light). They arenot as sensitive to green light.Whatever the ultimate purpose ofyour photographs, infraredphotography provides unusualeffects obtainable by few othermeans.
While the film is sensitive to avery wide spectrum, it is generallyused on land in conjunction witheither a deep red (Wratten 25) orcompletely visually opaque(Wratten 87 series) filter. Thesefilters remove the majority ofvisible light allowing the film to beexposed to just the infraredcomponents. However, withoutthese filters, it is quite usableunderwater for natural light
Infrared Films Underwaterby Mark Mumford
Of course without any particularhighlights, a fairly normal blackand white photograph is obtained.As mentioned before, this tends tobe more grainy than would beexpected for the degree ofsharpness, and effect that couldprobably be similarly obtainedusing conventional black and whitefilm in a number of ways. You maynotice in this photograph the lack ofcontrast in the backgroundcompared to the foreground subject.While this is usual underwater, it isexaggerated in this case, and Iwould put this down to the extraultra-violet sensitivity of the film,and diffusion of light through thewater.
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On land, with a red filter, the film isnoted for returning false “colours”compared to conventional black andwhite film, rendering objects thatemit or reflect infrared light aswhite, against black for those thatdo not. Blue skies will be renderedblack, and grass, foliage and skin-tones will be rendered white.Taken underwater of course, theseeffects will not be noticed. Wecannot use red filters because wewouldn’t be left with any light at all!So used without filters, and atmoderate depths, we will berecording using light primarily inthe blue spectrum as the film is atleast 10 times more sensitive to bluelight than it is to green. In fact it isso sensitive to blue and ultra-violetthat it might be worth using askylight or UV filter to try andreduce this a bit.
This picture shows that the film can return quite good resolving power, butappears to be quite grainy (if that isn’t a contradiction). It is moderatelysensitive to developer, and a fine-grain developer such as Kodak XTOL willreturn a more finely grained negative, albeit at lower contrast (that makessense doesn’t it!).
photography, and gives someinteresting results.
The real downside about usingthis film is caused by exactly thosecharacteristics that gives it itsspecial properties. The combinationof high infra-red sensitivity, and thelack of an anti-halation layer meansthat the film must be loaded andunloaded from the camera in totaldarkness, which means in a properchanging bag. Even the filmcassette isn’t safe, and enough lightcan get through the normal openingto ruin a film, which must be kept inthe provided opaque containers. I
develop the film myself, not trustingeven pro labs to get it right all thetime.
On land, being primarily usedfor infra-red applications, an ISOrating cannot easily be given, as thefilm is sensitive to light that isn’tregistered with conventional lightmeters. Underwater, I usually set itat ISO 200 which returns me areasonably dense image, and I’msure that it could cope with ratingsfrom ISO 50 to ISO 400 or greaterdepending on the depth and theamount of UV penetration.Interestingly, the film has been
noted for returning different grainand sharpness depending on thespeed that it is rated at - i.e.depending on the amount ofexposure it receives! You mighthave spotted that the two examplesshown previously that were takenon land have considerably lowergrain and improved resolution.
If you enjoy black and whiteunderwater images, then you mightalso want to experiment with thisfilm. I’ve still got a long way to gowith it, and would like to try it outfor flash-lit macro work in trueinfra-red mode with a red filter. I
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think that the next time that I use it for natural lightwide-angle shots, then I will perhaps put a standard UVfilter in front of the lens and see if that improves thebackground contrast.
Notwithstanding the purist approach, once youunderstand the special characteristics of the film, andhow it behaves, a competent Photoshop operator shouldhave little trouble simulating the effect given a standardblack and white, or even colour, photograph. Workingwith infra-red negatives also gives you the opportunityto play with hand-colouring (or computer colouring) ona photo that starts out looking a little different!
What next? Kodak Technical Pan - a lithographicfilm - that’s what!
I’ll let you know!
Mark Mumford
The other major special effect from this film is that of“blown” highlights. Shadows contain good detail, buthighlights tend to blur into one another. This is becausethe film is fairly unique in that it does not have an“anti-halation” backing layer, so light that passesthrough the film isn’t absorbed by this layer, reflectingoff the camera back and coming back through the filmfor a second time.
Inon’s Quad Flash is one of the mostinnovative tools ever made available to
underwater photographers. The fourreflectors provide shadowless lighting withan ethereal quality all of it's own. Thecompact size is less intrusive thanconventional strobes and makes animalsmuch more approachable.
The Quad is packed with useful featuressuch as an automatically activatedmodeling light to assist autofocusing and
Nikon compatible TTL. To get creative thereare three manual powers and a built in shade lets
you block off two of the reflectors.Available with ports to suit both Subal
and Sea and Sea SLR housings. Quad from £995.00. Portsfrom £299.00. For a full review by award winning photographer, author andunderwater photography coach Mark Webster see UwP Issue 2 at http://www.uwpmag.co.uk
13 Northumberland Ave, London WC2N 5AQTel 020 7930 8408 Fax 020 7839 6148
http://www.oceanoptics.co.ukOcean Optics
Ring of Bright Water
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UwP 40
Land based photography hasbeen a hobby for many years andwhen I took up diving four yearsago it was natural that I startedtaking underwater photographs. Ibought a Nikonos V and on my nexttrip to the Philippines clicked awaymerrily. When the prints came backI found out about the loss of redlight at depth they all had a bluetinge! I bought a Sea and Sea YS50strobe, to experiment with.
My next diving holiday was inthe Dutch Caribbean. A PADIunderwater photography coursewent a great way to helpingunderstand the difficulties ofunderwater photography and evento get a few decent photographs. Irealised that the standard 35 mmlens needed to be wider so I boughta Sea and Sea wideanglesupplementary lens and viewfinder.The following years holidayshowed some improvement, but thepictures were still not great.
Over a year passed until thenext holiday, in Sharm el Sheik.The camera was serviced, an OceanOptics close up kit bought, lots offilm ordered and all the booksreread. I was going to seriously getsome good photographs this time.
One of the many good thingsabout Sharm el Shaik is the onehour E6 processing in the centre oftown, although I’m sure my buddies(all of whom were nonphotographers) weren’t too amusedabout every evening having to dropthem off and collect them later. Butit let me take my photographs andsee my mistakes, of which therewere many and triumphs, of whichthere were few on the same day.The first day was a disaster. Tryingto get back into diving andunderwater photography at the sametime was ambitious!
As the week progressed thediving and the photography got
better. The photography was stillnot right though. The first thing Inoticed, I thought, was the lack ofpower of the strobe. Other picturessuch as my friends being taught onthe sandy bottom at a shallow depthseemed better.
When I got home I waspuzzling over this problem andrealised that the YS50 is not a verypowerful strobe, the diffuser neededfor the wide angle lens reduced theoutput and the wide angle converter.I decided I needed a new, morepowerful strobe. Should I get onethat I could use as part of a pair(and the connecting cable) or onethat was powerful enough to use byitself? Whatever I did was going tocost about £500 - 1000. Then Idiscovered if I went double that Iwould need at least one new arm.Cost per arm £ 100 - 200.
The other problem was theframing. Trying to balanceavailable light by looking throughthe viewfinder at the exposureinformation and framing throughthe optical viewfinder was not theeasiest thing in the world for me, anoccasional underwaterphotographer. Was it time to investin a housed single lens reflexcamera? My current land camerasinclude a Nikon F100 and an F801.Housings for both of these areavailable from Ikelite, Sea and Seaand Subal. The cost with port,gears etc ranged from £1200 to£2000 new!
Serious money was beingdiscussed here. I visited many siteson the web to try and make the bestdecision. This added to theconfusion.
Both Ocean Optics andCameras Underwater both werevery helpful but clearly wanted meto buy their products. The otherthing I realised was that trading inmy Nikonos V was not going to gofar in paying for the new system.What to do? I am not a professionalphotgrapher and my Scottishupbringing made me feel nervousabout spending thousands of poundsfor something I may only use two orthree weeks a year without beingsure what I wanted. Second handgear was one option, but even thatwas going to be expensive.
Where next?A beginners taleBy Gilbert Park
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I decided that I would buy a new strobe.Whatever happened that was going to be useful. Then Icontacted Regal Holidays and found they had aphotographic holiday with Steve Smithson from theNew Horizons Dive Centre I spoke with him at length.In the end I arranged to hire a housed F90x SLR and aprime 15 mm lens for the Nikonos V for that week.Now I could make my decision based on knowledge.
So it was I came to be in Hurgada with SteveSmithson and his “assistant” Richard Whiteley courtseyof Regal Holidays and Emperor Divers to spend sixdays improving my underwater photographic skills anddeciding what to do next.
I had spoken to Steve en several occasions aboutwhat I wanted from the week. His first suggestion wasthat I tried using the Sea and Sea 15mm prime lens andmatching viewfinder on my Nikonus. First dives on thatday I did just that. One of the advantages of this courseis that at the end of each day Steve processes the filmsand later that night we all met to constructively reviewour successes and failure.
At the end of the first day I learnt the need to getclose to the subject and the importance of metering forthe background. At the beginning of the second day Ilearnt the importance of reading instruction books. Twoflashes into the first dive then nothing. Underwater Irealised what the position “Accu” was for on my newstrobe. Although I had religiously plugged it in everynight not turning the switch to that position meant itdidn’t charge. On the second dive it was ambient light
photography.I continued with the 15mm lens using it for reef
and wreck photography until the afternoon of day 5. Forthis dive I used all my own gear. For the night dive Iused the 35mm lens and the Ocean Optics close up lens.The 35mm lens was crisp (see the octopus from thenight dive). I just could not get to grips with the close-up attachment. The prongs were visible in every picture.The 15mm supplementary lens gave sharp results butonly from about one meter away despite stopping thelens down. The first thing I had learnt on this trip wasthe need to be close and this stopped me.
During the week I also learnt how little I knewabout the use of strobes underwater despite hours spenton the web. Power is not that important. As you divered light starts to disappear noticeably at 8 - 10 metres.This is despite the hugely powerful strobe called theSun being just above. The same will happen with astrobe, except the distance the light has to travel isdouble the strobe to subject distance. Anything morethan two to three metres away is going to have asignificant reduction in red. Buying the most powerfulstrobe may not be the answer after all.
At this point I knew why and what I was going todo. I was not going to buy a housing. They are notcheap, difficult to pack and terrifyingly expensive ifthey flood. I was going to buy a 15mm lens. viewfinderand the focusing aid that has two torches showingwhere the correct focusing spot was for the close-uplens. Relatively inexpensive and easy to pack.
I had booked a housing to hire for the last day so Itried a Sea and Sea 90x housing with a Nikon 90x body.The first dive I used a 20mm wideangle and the seconda 60mm macro lens. What a mistake! I was hooked.Despite spending almost all of a week working hardwith my Nikonos the pictures from these two diveswere the best of the week and none of them were astruggle. Suddenly photography had become fun again.
Any one want to buy a Nikonous V? I have justbought a Subal housing for my F100 - fabulous!
Gilbert Park
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O ring maintenanceby Peter Rowlands
There can be fewer, morehostile environments in which totake photographs than underwater.The combined elements of waterand pressure impose considerablelimitations on us both physicallyand photographically in a way thatshould make most sensible peoplegive it a very wide berth. And yetwe are still here, pretending toenjoy it, spurred on by theoccasional good shot which makesus forget the aggro, both financialand physical.
O rings are the mostingenious, yet simple deviceswithout whose existence we wouldcertainly not be where we are today.These small cross sections ofmoulded compressed neoprene arethe key to our survival and deservemore attention than they often get.
In order to do its job properly,an O ring must be lightly lubricated
Don’t use any sharp tools to lift the O ring out of its groove.Most O rings can be removed without the need for any tools.Stretch the O ring slightly to cause a loop which can then be lifted out ofthe groove.This can be done on Nikonos cameras (above right) or housings (above left)
With the O ring removed, the groovecan be inspected and cleaned ifnecessary.The most effective tool to do this isa stiff bristled toothbrush. Cottonbuds are also useful but may leavefines hairs if you are not careful.Perhaps the best combination wouldbe to run a cotton bud along thegroove to remove any excess greaseand then use the toothbrush for afinal clean.
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Only a small amount of silicone grease is needed to lubricate the Nikonos VO ring. Just enough to make it shine.The grease is being applied from anOcean Optics silicone grease applicator/syringe and it contains enoughgrease to last a long time.There are still quite a few underwater photographers who believe that themore grease you apply, the better the seal. This is far from correct as itcould migrate into the camera and affect the shutter performance.
The easiest way to spread the grease onto the O ring is to pull it throughyour fingers a few times until it is evenly coated and the surface shouldshine without there being any excess grease.
to keep it supple. Silicone grease isused for its inert properties andcontinuing viscosity under heat andmust be applied to all black userservicable O rings such as reardoors, battery compartments andflash plugs. ( A new generation ofblue silicone O rings are used bysome manufacturers such as Sea &
Sea and these must be greased withthe special grease they supply).
The O ring surfaces are just asimportant as the O ring itself andmust be kept clean. This is done byremoving the O ring with a softedged tool or, if it is the large reardoor O ring on a Nikonos V or mainO ring on a housing, stretching it
slightly to cause a loop which canthen be lifted out of the groove. Afirm bristled toothbrush is verygood for cleaning these grooves asit leaves no fine hairs as cotton budscan do.
The cleaning and regreasing ofan O ring takes just a few seconds.What takes a lot longer is the debateas to how often you need to do this.Some look upon this operation as aform of therapy during dives, thegentle pulling of an O ring throughlightly greased fingers could belikened to the holding of one’schildhood blanket to one’s ear whilesucking one’s thumb. Others leavetheir O rings alone for days at atime and still don’t have problems.
What level of perfection youchoose is up to you and if it hasworked for you thus far I would befoolish to encourage you to change.All I can say is that there is lessneed to maintain O rings on aliveaboard boat as opposed to ashore diving trip as there is far lesschance of sand bridging an O ringgroove.
If there is one main reasonwhy underwater photographers haveproblems it can usually be put downto lack of preparation.
I’ve seen it so many timeswhen a dive plan is changed at thelast minute resulting in a hastychange of lens or film. The suddenurgency nearly always ends up withan O ring dislodged, a control leftoff or a film not wound on properly.It is better to either stick with therig you’ve got or not take it at allrather than risk thousands of poundsand the rest of your holiday ruined.
Underwater photography isworth it when everything goes welland you can help yourself withcareful preparation. It doesn’t takelong and it will increase yoursuccess rate.
Peter RowlandsOcean Optics Repair Dept
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For saleBowens Copytrans slideduplicator £503 x Bowens studio flashes 200D£50 each inc standsContact Peter Rowlands020 8399 5709 (UK) or e [email protected]
Classifieds
For saleNikon F5 body £650 inc VATNikkor 20-35mm £650 inc VATContact Peter Rowlands020 8399 5709 (UK) or e [email protected]
Martin Edge, author of thebest selling instructional book‘The Underwater Photographer’guarantees that he can improveyour images. Martin hasscheduled two weekend coursesfor 2002. The dates are 23/24thFebruary and 16/17th March. ANikon SLR and Housing courseis planned for 2/3rd November2002. Limited spaces available.
Using an indoor heatedswimming pool in aBournemouth Hotel, theweekends are structured to theneeds of each individual. Yourown camera equipment ispreferable but hire facilities maybe available. E6 film processingis included in the course price of£165.
For more details PhoneMartin or Sylvia on 01202887611 or [email protected]
Photo coursesFor SaleSubal Ports and Strobe Housings60mm macro port with auto/manualfocus switch. £250 including gears.24-50mm zoom lens port. £220including gearsSubal housings for Nikon SB28Speedlight. £250 including synchcordPhone Guy on 02920 702440 or07967 682587, or [email protected]
For saleNikonos 111 camera £250.Nikonos 35mm lens £80. Nikonos28mm lens inc viewfinder£200. Nikonos 28mm splash lens£400. Contact Tel. 01277 363 296(Essex) or email [email protected]
For SaleSea & Sea Motormarine 11 packageconsisting of: Camera, 16mmWideangle lens, ML-11 MacroLens with gauge plate & guide rods,Ikelite Optical Viewfinder with15mm, 20mm, 28mm, & 35mmscreens, Ikelite Substrobe A1 TTLFlash with camera plate & arms (with modeling light, very powerful)All very good condition & packedin a hard ‘Flycase’. Results havebeen printed in Dive magazine andcan be shown. Price £695.00.Phone Ron on 07768 510271 ore-mail [email protected] anytime.
WANTEDUnderwater housing for a NikonF801s camera. Preferably Subal orNexus but anything considered.Contact:[email protected]
For saleGates underwater Sony PC10evideo housing for sale, togetherwith standard and fish eye lenseplus video light with 2 batteries andcharger. Equipment was purchasedbrand new in USA and used onlyonce. A 1 condition. Genuinereason for sale. Cost 0ver $2,500,will sell for £995. [email protected] or call01923 257 202.
For SaleAquatica Sport II Housing withDome Port. Set-up for 90X but canfit N/F 50,70,90 & F601/801s.2 years old, with Nikonos strobeconnection. Also Motormarine IIExwith YS50 strobe.Any reasonable offer considered.Contact:[email protected] 07957 709847
For sale2 x F90 Subal housings plus ports tofit 60mm,105mm 200mm lensesand fisheye port plus flashgunhousings for Nikon SB 24, 25 and26 and TTL leads. London based.Please [email protected]
For SaleComplete Mamiya medium format( 120 film 6 x 7 cm image )underwater camera system.Ocean Optics RB67 housing.all gears & accesories included2 ports 1 fisheye, 1 Correction port( Peter Scoones type )Mamiya RB67 camera body37mm fullframe fisheye lens90mm lens ( for macro & normal )2 film magazines ( 120 & 70mm )2 Oceanic 2003 Strobes with EOconnectors. Flight case (holdseverything above )
Everything for £2000. - Yes youread it correctly. Contact JohnButler at [email protected] phone ++ 47 70 13 82 60monday - Friday, between 8 a.m. -3 p.m.
ServicesNigeria Offshore. UnderwaterPhotography and Video Surveys ofOil Tankers , Offshore Drilling Rigsand Oilfield Installations.ABS, DNV, BV classified .Subsea Inspection Ltd , PortHarcourt, [email protected] / fax 00 234 84 235151
WantedWide angle primary lens to fit
Nikonos. Focal length between12mm and 20mm. Please contactBob on 01977 593 257 (office), 0208904 9505 (home) or [email protected]
UwP 45
Book a classified in UwP
A classified advert in UwP will be downloaded over 35,000 times byunderwater photographers worldwide. You can sell or buy yourequipment for a flat fee of just £5 (or £10 with a coloured boxsurround) payable by Visa, Mastercard or cheque.Your advert can include up to 50 words and will be read by over35,000 underwater photographers.
No other magazine can offer such a concentrated circulation.
We recommend that you use e mail as your contact address.
E mail the text of your advert to [email protected]. Youcan include your credit card number and expiry date or fax it to020 8399 5709 or send a cheque payable to:Ocean Optics Ltd,13 Langley Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6QN
The Nikonos VA Statement From Ocean Optics
It is now official that theNikonos V camera is to bediscontinued following a finalproduction run of 3000 cameras.
As users of the Nikonos systemourselves, and as dealers whosename has been synonmous with theNikonos line since 1976, we verymuch regret Nikons decision.
However, once Nikon confirmed the news we immediately made a significantinvestment in Nikonos V bodies, lenses and strobes.
Ocean Optics Ltd, our sister company which has provided servicing of theNikonos for a quarter century has also stocked up heavily on spares to ensurecontinued aftersales to existing and new owners. We will continue to manufacture ourclose up lenses and macro tubes as we have done for over two decades.
We hope this makes our continued commitment to the finest underwater cameraever produced unambigous!
The Ocean Optics TeamLondon
UwP 46
Guidelines for contributorsThe response to UwP has been nothing short of fantastic. We are looking for interesting, well
illustrated articles about underwater photography. We are looking for work from existing names butwould also like to discover some of the new talent out there and that could be you!
The type of articles we’re looking for fall into five main categories:
Uw photo techniques -Balanced light, composition, wreck photography etc
Locations -Photo friendly dive sites, countries or liveaboards
SubjectsAnything from whale sharks to nudibranchs in full detail
Equipment reviews -Detailed appraisals of the latest equipment
PersonalitiesInterviews with leading underwater photographers
If you have an idea for an article,contact me first before putting pen to paper.
My e mail is [email protected]
How to submit articlesTo keep UwP simple and financially viable to produce we can only accept submissions by e mail
and they need to be done in the following way:
1. The text for the article should be copied from your word processing file and pasted into thebody of the e mail.
2. Images must be “attached” to the e mail and they need to be:Resolution - 144dpiSize - Maximum length 15cm i.e. horizontal pictures would be 15 cm wide and verticals would be
15cm.File type - Save your image as a JPG file and set the compression to “Medium” qualityThis should result in images no larger than about 120k which can be transmitted quickly. If we want larger
sizes we will contact you.3. Captions - Each and every image MUST have full photographic details including camera,
housing, lens, lighting, film, aperture, shutter speed and exposure mode. These must also be copiedand pasted into the body of the e mail.
We pay a flat fee of £50 (+VAT if invoiced).I look forward to hearing from you.
a web magazinea web magazine
Underwater PhotographyUnderwater Photography
UwP 47Subscribe to Golden Dolphin at www.goldendolphin.com
UwP 48
Improve your image
Subtronic
Subal
Offering the most versatile macro system in the world
today, Nexus make possible extreme close up photographyunavailable from any other housing line.
The Snapper builds into a neat systemcapable of creative pictures down to 150 ft,even in low visibility. It’s so simple to use and,with prices starting at just £129, it’s stunningvalue for money. This really is a breakthroughin price and performance. There’s no betterintroduction to underwater photography.
The legendary housing of choice formany of the worlds top underwater imagemakers.
Now available for the Nikon F100.These are the ultimate strobes. With fast 2
second recycling, optional laser aiming light andcolour temperature control, prices start at just £749.
NexusNikonos
The classic underwater camera. We stock therange and have a fully Nikon authorised workshopfacility.
Ocean Optics13 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AQTel 020 7930 8408 Fax 020 7839 6148
Visit our web site for the latest news and special deals
http://www.oceanoptics.co.uk
Our aim at Ocean Optics isto keep you shooting.
That’s why we provide afull servicing facility in our
own workshops for allNikonos, Nexus and Subal
equipment we import.We even have loan
equipment for thoseimpossible deadlines!
If you choose to bean Ocean Optics client,you will benefit from the
best support in thebusiness
Bonica
