HWelle

IMG_1890

Canon EOS 50D

settings

Aperture f/4.0 ISO 400 Shutter 1/60

upload_date

Jul, 2011

Views

425

Likes

+171

Awards

Zenith Award

Judge Favorite

Peer Award

+16

Absolute Masterpiece

+13

Superb Composition

+10

Outstanding Creativity

+10

Top Choice

Magnificent Capture

All Star

Superior Skill

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Platinum

Great color and detail.

Berde (Green) invites you exhibit this beautiful photo in the gallery. The URL address is http://www.viewbug.com/photo-communities/berde-green

Excellent shot! I love the detail and tone! You have amazing photos!!

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Guy with keyboard in pool- underwater shot

For the body of work, "The Only Time", I used a model in a full suit. The pictures were taken underwater and at night.

The "Agent of Time" represents

Behind The Lens

Location

This image was taken underwater in the Maldives at about 35’ of depth.

Time

Most of my nature pictures are taken at night, as was this one. It was pitch black around me and the only lights I had were my search and flash lights. You had to be constantly moving, otherwise your lights would attract a lot of unwanted little ocean critters, messing up your shot.

Lighting

I used two high powered underwater flashes to light up my images.

Equipment

For this shot, I used my canon 50d with a sea&sea housing. Two sea&sea YS-250 pro flashes. I had to put floater styrofoam around the arms for the flash because the rig was getting very heavy (even underwater). My lens was a 60mm macro lens with a flat dome port for the housing.

Inspiration

These hard corals look fairly uninteresting during the day but at night they bring out their polyp arms and filter the water for food. In macro view, it creates these amazing alien flower looking like scenarios.

Editing

In photoshop, I usually clean up my images a bit from particles and other things that were floating by the lens. Other than a small contrast and saturation or brightness adjustment, I leave the images as they are. It take a lot of dives and even more patience and a good portion of luck (to be at the right time at the right place).

In my camera bag

I usually have my Canon 50d with flash system and two dome ports for the housing and my macro and wide angle lens with me. A pain to travel with but well worth it, when you get your money shot. Oh, did I mention always have a charger and backup batteries?!

Feedback

This is not something you get with a vacation snap shot. I don’t want to discourage anybody but if you have lots of patience and the correct finances (a decent underwater camera gear isn’t inexpensive), this might work out for you. A proper amount of learning by doing (practice, practice, practice) and some classes (or books) how to take photos underwater is also advised. And I almost forgot but before you go buying your favorite camera gear and jump in the water, you have to know how to dive and I mean “REALLY” know how to dive. It will safe you a lot of frustration. Advanced scuba or higher, I would highly recommend with a Nitrox (and maybe a night dive) specialty. Diving has to be subconsciously, since you are doing two things at the same time. Diving and taking pictures. You should be more than comfortable in the one that doesn’t drown you ????. Good luck and maybe see you out there.

See more amazing photos, follow HWelle

HWelle

HWelle

IMG_1890

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow HWelle

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