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Houston, TX 77401

underwater photography

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HO HO HO Merry Christmas – Scuba Santa Undwerwater

Santa & the Mittendorfs
Santa with John, Sean and Paige Mittendorf, along with a large Elf

You may not have known it, but Santa Claus is a scuba diver.  He spends his vacations in such tropical locations as Fiji, Palau, Grand Cayman and Honduras.  Since he spends so much time in the north, he sunburns easily so he took up scuba diving as a way to enjoy the islands but not get too burned.  He loves the water and really enjoys swimming with the fish.  In 2012, his goal is to begin rebreather diving.

 
On Saturday, he visited the West University Recreation Center pool and posed for pictures with swimmers, snorkelers and divers alike.  Santa really like receiving those wish lists underwater! 
 
Eric Keibler served as the photographer for the event and Joel Hershey, Travis Hershey and Christiaan Khurana all helped make Santa’s visit fun and eventful.  Hopefully, they will receive a special gift from Santa on Christmas.  We would also like to thank Brittany Bakes, Julie Bickham, Rob Cantu and the rest of the West University Aquatic Staff  for all of their help in making this event a success. 
 
If you missed this year’s photo shoot, Santa has promised to return next year for another photo session.  And remember, look for Santa while you are visiting your favorite scuba diving and tropical locations.  He will be the one in the red wetsuit.

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Preplanning a Scuba Diving Silhouette Photograph

Photograph by Eric Keibler - Penetration

Penetration

© Eric V. Keibler

Here is a natural light photograph taken in a cargo hold in Truk Lagoon.  While the shot may look completely natural, it was set-up prior to getting in the water.  Todd Emons and I decided to go in the water together to take some photographs of one another in various locations on the ship.

Todd works on the Odyssey so he is very familiar with the wrecks and had some ideas of what shots might look good in this wreck. This type of local knowledge helps you to capture photographs that you might otherwise miss.  Of course, you still have to do everything to take the image but setting up the shot can make things easier.  You need to discuss the general sight and then make a plan with your dive buddy.  It is easier to discuss what you want to do on the surface rather than underwater.  Working with a model can be quite challenging underwater and having a plan before you go in makes it much simplier.

To take this shot, I swam to the lower portion of the cargo hold.  While getting in position, it was important not to kick up the bottom or dislodge too much debris from the ceiling because the debris would ruin the shot.  I set the camera on manual and set the camera to properly capture the blue light throwing everything else into shadows.  After everything was set, I signaled Todd who was perched at the lip of the hold and he began to swim toward the camera being careful not to shine his light in the direction of the camera.  You can see just a small beam coming from the light but because the hold was so large, and the backlight so strong, his light had little effect in the final image.

Also notice that while Todd is the subject of the shot, he is not in the center of the image but rather is in the top third of the picture.  In general, it is more pleasing to the eye if the subject is not centered but rather offset into another quadrant.  We call this division the rule of thirds which is a compositional tool.  Look for a better discussion of this “Rule” in another post on composition.

Remember, when taking silhouette shots, it is important to make sure that you keep the meter reading set for the backlight and not let the camera adjust to the target swimming towards you. 

Camera Specifications: Canon 5D, fitted with a 17mm-40mm lens at 20mm, f4.0 at 1/25 sec, ISO 640

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Striped Marlin, Scuba Diving – an Underwater Photography Expedition

 
 
 
 

Half Dozen Marlins Chasing Bait Ball
Half a Dozen Marlins Chasing a Bait Ball

In the Company of Striped Marlin – an Underwater Expedition
The first year I led my Striped Marlin Expedition to Todos Santos in Mexico, it was splendid. Last year was almost a bust because we hardly saw any Striped Marlin. The reason for that was the water temperature rose to over 81 degrees, and that meant there were not many plankton and the sardines had nothing to feed on. The marlin somehow figured that out and almost totally avoided the normal pattern.
This year with support and reports from the University in La Paz and the local fisherman, I have understood that the marlin will show up, but later than last year. What you see below are images from the first two days here. The sea is placid, the wind very calm and water temperature is between 76 – 78 – just right for the plankton bloom, the sardine are feeding and … the marlin are here. Take a look:
Giant Bait Ball
Giant Bait Ball

Light Marlins Bait Ball
Light Marlins Bait Ball

Malin Feeding
Malin Feeding

My TeamMy Team of Guests

Chris and Jerry were with me last year – they understood very well what was happening with the water temperature and feeding patterns. We did all that was humanly possible to show them a good time and we succeeded to a limited level. Both were so impressed by the effort they have joined me again and they are here with us and they are so happy that they counted on my research. I am so proud to be able to deliver to such loyal guests, pictured above.
Every day we leave at 6:30 am along the western cost of Baja (on the Pacific side) and stay out till 5pm – watching the Frigate birds feeding action and formation. It’s the birds who actually give us information about the marlin. When a formation of two dozen or more Frigates is tight and close over the water I know the birds are feeding on sardines below – and the marlin are in pursuit.
All day we jump in and out of the water. The encounters last from just one minute up to sometimes 20 minutes. It’s a dance among the birds and fish. The “bait ball” of sardines, the Striped Marlin below, and the birds above all work in opposite directions from each other. The sardines run for their life but they are not much of a match for the quantity and skills of the birds up above and the marlin under the water. Both the flying and swimming predators are relentless and work the bait ball till it is consumed. It’s dramatic and exciting, especially when visibility ranges from 80 to 150 feet plus … next year we will come back in December. There will be room for only four people to join in the adventure, to be in the company of the ocean giants like the Striped Marlin.
Eric Keibler is putting together one of these trips with me.  Remember, there are only 4 spaces so you need to call him quickly!

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Scuba Diving from the Dumaguete Pier in the Philippines

Topside, this was the most unimpressive dive site I’d ever seen, with docked cargo ships and unpleasant noises and smells of industrial activity. Descending to the sand at about 20 feet did not prneude much inspiration as we were greeted by some rusted cans and a baby’s diaper (used, apparently).  I was left wondering why the boatload of experienced divers and divemasters was so keen on this site.
Dumaguete is on the Bohol Sea in Negros Oriental, Philippines, approximately 30 hours from Houston via Honolulu, Guam and an overnight in Manila. It is an absolutely fabulous dive location, at the northern portion of the “Coral Triangle”, the region of the greatest coral reef biodiversity in the world, and therefore well worth the arduous trip from Texas.
False Cleaner FishThe pier at Dumagute was no exception; it turned out to be the richest site of photo opportunities and encounters with weird and wonderful creatures in Negros Oriental. In this photo I was lucky to capture some very interesting behavior between 2 similar looking fish species, and equally fortunate to have Marco Inocencio from Atlantis Dive Resort interpret the activities. According to Marco, the larger fish in the hole is a false cleanerfish (Aspidontus taeniatus), while the two smaller fishes that are shown in full view are cleaner wrasses (Labroides dimidiatus). The larger fish is a mimic; it’s actually a member the blenny family who is posing as a cleanerfish in order to take bites of skin and flesh from other fishes looking for a cleaning. The false cleanerfish is distinguished from the cleaner wrasses by its head, which ends in a “nose” with its mouth slightly under and behind it while the heads of the cleaner wrasses terminate with their mouths. If you look closely enough you’ll see the characteristic pouty lips of the false cleanerfish, presumably because she isn’t much appreciated for her clever disguise and food-gathering methods!

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Creating Exciting Photographic Scenics

Rainbow Reef
Rainbow in Fiji

One of the central tenants of Buddhism is to be here in the moment and to experience the moment fully.  When you get behind the camera, it is important no to get too wrapped up in the technical side of photography but rather experience the beauty that is all around you at that moment.
Try and capture what you are seeing and experiencing.  Digital photography makes it easy to experiment.  Look at how the sun  plays off the leaves, trees, bark, water droplets; see how it illuminates the spider web or causes the water to shimmer.
When the sun is hidden behind a flat white sky, look for textures and contrasts.
In his article about landscape photography (PhotoSecrets.com), Mark Fenwick encourages his readers to look for:

  • Light -shadows and highlights,
  • Shapes – round and angular,
  • Colour – harmony and discord,
  • Texture – rough and smooth,
  • Composition – strong and weak,
  • Tones – light and dark
  • Patterns – even and odd,
  • Mystery.

 While you are exploring, move around your subject.  Look for alternate vantage points and angles.  If you can, try it at different times of the day.  By mneung around and exploring a site at different times, the landscape will reveal more to you.
You can also try using different lens apertures.  Ansell Adams is well known for shooting everything at f22 in order to capture all of the detail in his scenes.  You can also use that depth of field to your advantage by blurring an unattractive or distracting foreground while keeping the remainder of the scene in sharp focus.
You can always start with the standard shot of an area but then start experimenting.  Move around, lay on the ground, climb a tree, blur the foreground, or frame the image with a tree of bush.   You can change the perspective by switching from a wide angle lens to a telephoto lens or have a little fin and try a fish eye lens.  
Enjoy your photographic safaris or walks and learn to see what is happening at the moment you are there.  Don’t settle for a standard shot, experiment and try something different.

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Photographic Equipment…How to get it there

 Airplane at GateTraveling with photo equipment on your diving vacation may be as simple as tucking your camera in your pocket or may be more like taking an extra person with you.  The more equipment you have to take on your trip, the larger your travel bags need to be.  Like any commercial photographer, an underwater photographer will have multiple lighting sources, spare parts and possibly even spare cameras and lenses.  With new airline luggage regulations, getting all of your equipment to your destination may be a challenge.

Once you get it there, you need to be able to use it effectively.  You probably wont need to carry all of those spare parts with you on your daily shoots but you do want to carry what you will need.

Your underwater camera, once it is assembled, usually requires no special carrying case to transport it to and from the dive destination.  However, if you plan on taking above the water shots or go touring while on your diving trip, you may need a bag or two to help you transport your equipment.

Transporting Your Equipment on Airlines

 Today, the airline luggage regulations can impact your trip and your budget.  Most airlines are now charging for bags, charging for heavy bags and limiting carry on bags.  Dealing with all of these ever changing regulations can be a challenge.  Small underwater camera systems, can be easily carried in your standard luggage.  However, a specialized bag like a photographic equipment backpack or roller will give you more protection.

With the advent of digital photography, gone are the lead lined film bags and plastic film cans.  However, these have been replaced by laptop computers, portable hard drives and cables for everything.  This means that an effective photographic equipment bag must also provide storage for these items.  Additionally, since laptop computers must be scanned separately from the remainder of the bag, having an easy access pocket for the computer is helpful.

International airlines tend to be stricter with carry-on bags.  Many allow for a maximum length of 20 inches rather than 22 inches for US airlines (see Continental Airlines), and generally they have more restrictive weights.  For example, Continental Airlines allows carry-on bags to weigh 40 pounds, while Singapore Airlines is 22 pounds and Air Lingus is even lower with 15 pounds.  To make matters even tougher, many of the international carriers have scales at the check-in counter and require passengers to weigh their bags.

Keeping your photographic equipment with you is the best option.  However, larger underwater camera systems will not generally fit in these carry-on cases.  In the past, photographers used ice chests to transport their camera equipment but airline regulations will not pay for anything damaged in these “unapproved” suit cases.  A better option is a Pelican hard plastic case.  I am fond of the 1620 case with photo inserts.  This allows me to organize my underwater housing, electronic strobes, cables, mounting arms, batteries, chargers, spare parts, etc.

The Pelican cases protect your photo equipment and make it easier to organize your equipment.  By keeping it organized, you can easily review your stock of spare parts before a trip and have easy, fast access to your equipment during a trip.

The downside of this organization is that it makes it more organized for thieves.  In an article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal online, Delta Airlines found a number of employees stealing from patron’s bags.  As divers we have often been warned about flying through Miami and Los Angeles, both known for problems with luggage being lost and items stolen.

Having been the victim of such theft, Ann now zips the trays in plastic blanket storage covers which have clear tops that allow TSA and other security personnel to look inside the case but makes it difficult for the items to “fall out.”  You could also use mesh bags which allow the agents to look through the mesh at your equipment.

An added problem with these cases is the weight.  The Pelican 1620 weighs in at 21 pounds empty.  This leaves you 29 to 49 pounds for your photographic equipment, depending if the airline allows 50 or 70 pounds.

With most airlines charging for checked luggage and overweight luggage, consolidating camera equipment, clothing and dive equipment is important.  Ann is fond of putting clothing and other travel essentials in her photo case and minimizing her carry-on weight.  This is important for her especially on trips involving multiple plane changes.

This brings up another point; it is important that you have a method of moving all of your equipment, photo and diving, as well as your clothing, easily.  I am an advocate of diving with dollars, meaning that there is usually someone at a destination who will carry your bags for a small fee.  But the operative word is “usually.”  There are some locations where porters have disappeared (e.g. Cozumel, Mexico) and you will be moving your own luggage.  Because of this, wheels are important as are straps designed to turn your luggage into a caravan if necessary.

Carrying Your Photographic Equipment on Location

 Diving

 Once you arrive at the destination and your equipment is safely stored in your room or cabin you can abandon your traveling bags.  After your system is assembled, you are the mule to transport it back and forth to the dive site.  For some people, carrying their camera systems is awkward.  By adding a padded food carrier to your equipment, you now have both a carrier and your own “rinse tank.”

Non-Diving Activities

For many, meeting and photographing the areas and people we meet is just as important as the diving.  But these non-diving activities mean carrying photo equipment away from the boat or resort.  Dealing with your camera and the related equipment means you may need something other than the bag you use to travel with.

Where you are taking photographs and the related activities will have an impact on the way you carry your camera, lenses, strobes and accessories.  In urban settings, you may not want to advertise that you are loaded down with expensive camera equipment.  Here a nondescript bag like ThinkTank’s Urban Disguise or a small backpack may be a better choice.  These systems appear more like common bags or briefcases while providing protection for your equipment.  One feature of many high end camera bags is a custom designed rain cover to help keep things fry in a wet environment.

Many nature photographers, sports photographers and travel photographers use a modular bag system that fits on a belt.  Often termed, speed belt mounting, these systems provide easy access to equipment and allow you to change lenses quickly and easily without having to take a pack off and dig inside.

Sporting events are constantly moving so you may need more mobility and lower concentration on keeping up with a bag.  This can also be important on nature hikes where the animals won’t wait for you to change lenses.

A speed belt system also places the weight of your equipment on your hips rather than on your shoulders.  The better units also include rain protection for the holsters.

A photographer’s vest is another option for carrying equipment.  Like its equivalents in the hunting and fishing sports, it has large pockets that allow you to carry your equipment in the vest.  These tend to work well in temperate climates but less so in cold climes because of other outer-wear.  In extremely warm conditions, they also tend to be warm.

Selecting an Equipment Bag System

 Like the selection of your diving equipment, what type of bag scheme you choose for your camera system depends a lot on the quantity and size of your system as well as the destination.  Before purchasing a bag or a system of bags you need to ask yourself the following questions:

  • How much equipment do I need to carry?
  • Can I carry it on the plane with me or will I need to check some or all of it?
  • How many bags am I willing to check?
  • Where will I be using it?
  • Is security or protection from pick-pockets or other thieves an?
  • How much walking will I be doing while taking photographs?
  • How fast do I need access to the camera, lenses, strobes or other accessories?
  • How much weight am I willing to carry?

Answering these questions will help you select the system that works for you on a given trip.  Remember, the system that works for one trip may not be the ideal for another trip.

—– Eric V. Keibler