Houston's Premier Scuba and Dive Shop Oceanic Ventures Inc.

(713) 523-3483 (dive)
5808 Newcastle Drive
Houston, TX 77401

photography

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Equipment Special For Photographers the SeaLife DC2000


The new DC 2000 has a waterproof  camera to 60 feet,that fits into a housing rated to 200 feet and shoots at 20 MP, Shoots RAW, JPG, 1080 HP video – Free Wide-angle lens
Free Wide Angle Lens: Urgent:  The program ends on Friday but, Dive Mom has an extension so that you can order before noon on Monday, Oct 2 2017, so you can get the Free Wide angle lens.
 
Upgrade Offer:  If you purchased a Sealife 2.0 Camera, from us in the last two years, and want to trade-it for the DC2000, you get a $150 credit toward the DC2000.  This is an Oceanic Ventures only promotion and expires on Monday October 2 at noon.  Please note, the camera must be in working order and traded in with the charger cord.

This is SeaLife’s most advanced camera! 

Enjoy full creative freedom with SeaLife’s new DC2000 digital underwater camera. Featuring a large SONY® 1″ type back-illuminated 20MP image sensor and RAW formatting capabilities, the DC2000 will let your underwater inspirations guide you to stunning results.
 

  • Full featured with nearly unlimited editing options
  • With an ultra-fast auto focus and shutter response, you’ll never miss a shot with the SeaLife DC2000.
  • Take control of your creativity by selecting from the 8 shooting modes: manual, aperture, underwater, shutter, program, intelligent auto, land, and panorama.
  • JPEG and RAW (Adobe .dng) imaging formats are available, providing you with nearly endless photo editing options. Get the best of both worlds.
  • With DSLR-like imaging results, you’ll want to make the DC2000’s waterproof inner camera your go-to land camera with the ability to capture rich landscapes and stunning close-ups and portraits.
  • The DC2000 features a 31mm (film equivalent) lens with a variety of underwater lens options available.
  • Ultra-fast shutter response of 0.1 seconds
  • 4 Underwater Shooting Modes for sharp, colorful underwater pictures under any conditions
  • 3 built-in underwater digital color correction filters: shallow water (snorkeling), deep water (diving) or “green” water (algae bloom)
  • 25 Land Scene modes adjust camera settings for specific shooting environments
  • Intelligent Auto Mode selects the optimal land scene mode for effortless shooting
  • Continuous Burst Shooting shoots high resolution 20MP pictures up to 10 frames per second
  • Manual White Balance control to customize UW color correction to your specific depth and water conditions
  • Manual shutter and aperture for complete control over image exposure from 15 to 1/2000 seconds and F1.8 to F11 in 0.3 stop increments
  • Auto focus from 4″(10cm) to infinity
  • WiFi to wirelessly preview, download and share pictures/videos to smart phone or tablet with free Link123 Plus app. Includes Geotagging and “Auto Send” functionality.
  • Micro SD, SDHC SDXC and UHS-1 memory card compatible up to 64GB
  • Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) – CCD shift technology reduces camera shake
  • Short-cut key for fast and easy access to favorite menu setting
  • Expandable with Sea Dragon Flash(es), Photo-Video Lights and SeaLife lenses
  • Rubber armored, shock-resistant for rough handling and tough environments
  • Depth rated down to 200ft/60m (camera in housing)
  • Depth rated down to 60ft/18m (inner camera)

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Travel & Adventure Photography – Food

fiji-416Let’s face it, on any adventure, the food is as important as the other activities.  Most of us are not on backpacking trips where freeze-dried or dehydrated food is the standard but rather we are there to experience the small part of the world we are visiting and food is an important part of that experience.
So, if food is an important portion of your trip, do you spend time trying to document experiences?  Do you try to capture the moment and the feelings associated with you meal so you can make your friends at home jealous?
Darren Rowse, in his article Food Photography – An Introduction has a few hints for improving your photographs:

Lighting

Treat the food you’re photographing as you would any other still life subject and ensure that it is well-lit.  Natural light is an ideal way to light food, assuming you are near a window and it is not dark outside.  You may need to “fill” using your strobe to eliminate harsh shadows.  Remember you want some shadow because it gives the food height and makes it look interesting but harsh shadows may take away from the image.  You can also use your napkin to reflect some light into these dark areas.  Daylight helps to keep the food looking much more natural.

Props

Pay attention not only to the arrangement of the food itself but to the context that you put it in.  You may have to move some of the flatware or other plates to give the object more room and to put it in an interesting setting.  Pay attention to the foreground and the background.
Be Quick
Food doesn’t keep its appetizing looks for long so as a photographer you’ll need to be well prepared and able to shoot quickly after it has been cooked before it melts, collapses, wilts and/or changes color.  You are also probably eating with other hungry divers and adventurers and their patience will wear thin if you take too much time arranging the table and setting up your shot.

Style It

The way food is set out on the plate is as important as the way you photograph it.  The chef or staff have probably prepared the plate to showcase the food the way they want it.  This is called “plating” in the cooking world and presentation has become very important.  However, in moving it from the kitchen to your table, things may have moved or to improve the lighting, you may find yourself acting as a food stylist.  Some things to remember is, keep it simple, wipe away spills, and try for some height.

ovi-107Get Down Low

A mistake that many beginner food photographers make is taking shots that look down on a plate from directly above.  While this can work in some circumstances – in most cases you’ll get a better shot by shooting from down close to plate level (or slightly above it).  Don’t be afraid to push your chair back  and get down low.

Macro

Really focusing in on just one part of the dish can be an effective way of highlighting the different elements of it.  A mixture of shots can really add to your trip.

20090903-IMG_0535Steam

Having steam rising off your food can give it a “just cooked” feel.  This is easier said than done but it goes hand-in-hand with the “be quick” hint above.
Adding photographs of your meals can add a more rounded dimension to your travel memories so remember to take your camera to dinner.

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Travel and Adventure Photography – Nine Hints for Underwater Photographers

In reading Helen Jung’s article, Secrets to Traveling like a Local, I thought about how to apply some of her hints to diving travel photography.   We have a lot of the same issues but when you add underwater photography to the mix, it opens a whole new world in travel photography.  Here are some hints I came up with:

20090908-IMG_1109Study before you go.

You should look at what others have done so you have an idea of what iconic photographs represent the location. If you were going to Paris, you would want a photograph of the Eiffel tower.  The same applies to your underwater trip.  What creatures, people, and places did others find interesting?  Finding out where these things might be located will help you capture images that encompass your trip.

Ask Questions.

Talk to people who have been diving there and find out what they found interesting.  Keep an open mind.  You might not be interested in a Japanese Communication Bunker in Chuuk but the view from the top is wonderful.

Penetration - Truk LagoonTalk to the Dive Master.

Remember, local knowledge is a big plus in photography, especially in underwater photography.  I remember one dive in Chuuk, where I went on a photography dive with Todd Emmons, the lead Master on the Odyssey.  He led me through the ship and acted as the model for a series of photographs.  I still had to interpret  each site, but he knew where others had made beautiful photographs in the past.  He also had some new places where he thought there was potential for some fun photographs.

Photography by Ann KeiblerForce yourself to push the envelope.

I am a die-hard wide-angle photographer.  I love the expansive scenics both above and below the surface.  However, many locations are really best captured using a macro or super macro lens.  So, while I can always fall back on wide-angle, I have to force myself to concentrate on Macro photography.  This was especially true in Indonesia where there are some incredible opportunities for Macro photography.

“Don’t be a Jerk.”

I cannot stress this enough!  I can write an entire article on being a good photographer underwater but I will just touch on a few things for now.  You need to be respectful of the people, places and the environment.  This is especially true underwater where the marine life is fragile and very susceptible to damage.  If you cannot get the shot without damaging the surrounding coral or other creatures (this includes hanging on) then pass on the shot or approach it a different way.  You have to be aware of your body position, fins, hands, etc so that you don’t damage the surrounding environment.  Another aspect of this is being respectful to the rest of the group.  If you are diving with a group, you owe it to them to remain a part of the group and not lag too far behind.  You may to have to pass on some shots to make up for the one you just took in order to stay with the group.  If you find this difficult, hire your own Dive Master and boat and you can then set the timing of the dive.

Talk to your taxi driver and other locals.

Remember, they know a lot about the area you are visiting.  They can be a good resource for fun things to do and entertaining things to see and do.  They can also be your pathway to understanding the local culture and customs more which will help your photography.

It is ok to be a tourist.

You are a tourist after all so it is ok to be one.  Don’t miss some of the touristy spots because some of them are really fun.  If you want a challenge, get the classic shot and then find different ways to portray the spot in your images.  Ask Ann, she loves macro photography and sometimes tree bark can be cool.

fiji-403Get up early and stay up late.

There is nothing like a sunrise or sunset right?  Well, it can really be special to be up when it goes from dark to light even before the sun starts to rise on the horizon.  Photographers call this the “Blue Hour” and it occurs twice a day – before sunrise and after sunset.  The lighting is magical so don’t miss it.  You can always take a nap or sleep when you get home.

Alex & the Girls“Give yourself permission to look and act foolish sometimes.”

“It’s OK to ask for help or not to know how to do something. You’ll get more out of a trip if you put those reservations aside.”

 

In both travel photography and underwater photography, we try to tell a story.  There is always a story, we just have to find the one we want to tell but that is a thought for another day…

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Photography – A Short Exercise to Improve Your Photography

Mother and Son in FijiRecently I was reading an article by Darren Rowse entitles A 15 Minute Exercise to Help You Improve Your Photography.  The title intrigued me so I read on.  His idea was to challenge you to slow down and thing about the images you are making before actually taking the photograph.  In the film days, you had a limited number of shots on a roll.  Because of this, photographers tended to look at a scene prior to starting shooting.  With the advent of the digital camera and more specifically the cheap photo storage, photographers just started shooting.

To help you improve your photographs you need to look at your subject and discover where the light is coming from.  How it will look best in the environment, do you need to move in or out to compose the image properly?  Darren’ s challenge is to get your camera, even an iPhone will do and go outside and find a place to just sit.  For the next ten-minutes you cannot take a photograph but rather just look around and observe what is around you.  While you are doing this, plan your shots.

In his article he says:

  • Observe – Think about your shots, move around see what the different angles of light do to the subjects that are catching your eye.
  • Plan – Think about what you are going to shoot and how you might take the best shot you are composing in your mind
  • Shoot – after your ten minute ban, after you have completed both your observation and your plan, now shoot your subjects and see if you can make you plan a reality. Spend only five minutes taking photographs
  • Evaluate – How did you do? What can you do different? Did you have the right equipment for your subject or would using another piece of equipment made it better?  Was there something you could have used on-site to improve your image (eg. You could use a piece of paper to act as a reflector to reduce the shadows on one side of your subject).

If you want to read his full article, you will find it here

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Experiencing the Solomon Islands a Scuba Diving Trip Aboard the Bilikiki

Diving in the Solomon Islands – Guadalcanal

Dive Manager - Csaba
Dive Manager – Csaba

 The morning finds is on our first diving location.  Diving off the Bilikiki is done primarily off the “tinies,” aluminum boats with cylinder holes and a small ladder. Csaba (pronounced Chaba) was in charge of the first dive and after the briefing it was – this way to the South Pacific and Tinie 1, Tinie 1 as the crew moved the diving equipment from the deck to the tinie.  The order was the same each day, diving equipment, cameras then divers.  All you as a diver needed to do was to let the crew members know that you were ready, move your name tag from “on-board” to “diving” and then step aboard your waiting diving chariot.

 The adventure continues…

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Experiencing the Solomon Islands a Scuba Diving Trip Aboard the Bilikiki

Beginning in the Solomon’s

 

Bikikiki
Photo by James Burton
Let’s just get this over with at the beginning.  The Bilikiki is an old vessel that is not as well appointed as many other modern live aboard diving and touring vessels.  The dining area has plastic lawn chairs and the tables are simple.  The main salon is not air conditioned and there is no wet head on the dive deck.  But, the crew on this vessel is second to none.  The newest member of the crew has only been on the vessel for two years but spent seven years on the Spirit of the Solomon’s, the sister ship to the Bilikiki.  Most of the remaining crew members have been with the vessel for more than seven to twenty-years.  The on-board diving managers have been here a year and come from extensive ship management in the Red Sea.  Needless to say, they all know how to make your life aboard special!

 Bilikiki CrewEvan, the shore based manager met us at the airport and like the crew on board the boat, Evan has been a part of the operation for a long time (I can attest that he was here in 2006 when we last visited the Bilikki.)  Amazingly, all of our luggage arrived with us and we were promptly taken to the Kitana Medano Hotel to wait for our time to board.  To capitalize on our available time, Ann had arranged for a tour of Honiara and some of the sights that made Guadalcanal such a memorable location in World War II.  There is a beautiful tribute to the men who died in the Pacific defending our freedom and bringing it to others.  This war memorial sits atop a hill above Henderson field and has multiple marble carvings highlighting the battles in this region of the Pacific.  So many men died here that the locals are still finding mess kits and other personal items scattered throughout the jungle.

20130906-_MG_0838The ships scattered on the bottom of Iron Bottom Sound even now contain the remains of American, Australian, British and Japanese sailors.  The majority of these wrecks lie well beyond the range of recreational scuba divers in over 240 feet of water.

Our tour also encompassed Henderson field (we landed here), the river near Red Beach, and a stop at the statue of  Sir Jacob Vouza, the Solomon Islander who alerted the allies to the advancing Japanese troops despite being tortured, stabbed and left for dead.  He survived, was Knighted by the Queen of England and even renamed his village to California so he could tell his friends in America that he was in California.

As our tour ended, our diving adventure was about to begin.  Csaba, on of the on-board boat managers met us at the hotel and transported us to the Honiara Yacht Club – a stuffy name for a simple location with small boats and a nice bar.  Here we joined our luggage which had already been loaded by the crew.  We were met by Daniela, the lively Venezuelan on-board manager.  She is also married to Csaba and no, he is not from Venezuela but rather hails from Hungry and Eastern Europe.

Equipment
Photo by James Burton

The first day on a live aboard is always busy with everyone scurrying around trying to assemble their dive equipment which is scattered around various bags necessitated by the airline luggage rules.  Only after everything is reassembled, tested and stored is there time to relax.

It was soon after dinner that the boat set sail for the beginning of our ten-day cruise through the Solomon Islands.

 

The adventure continues…