Grouper
Malinar Grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus) and diver on San Fransisco reef, Cozumel
Malinar Grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus) and diver on San Fransisco reef, Cozumel
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Jul, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken off the Island of Cozumel, on what Jacques Cousteau referred to as his second most favorite reef. This site is called San Francisco, although no one could explain why! It was characterized by long stretches of white sand broken by coral 'bommies' and like most of the diving there was subject to current that made life interesting! From memory this was on a stretch of the site at around 16 meters.Time
The shot was on the second dive, just before midday in September 2011. Whilst I love this time of day because the light penetrates the water so well and negates the need for flash (at least in this clarity of water), the best dive time is undoubtedly dawn on the reef.Lighting
As you can see from the shadows, the light was almost directly overhead, but diffused well by the water. The biggest problem was the blindingly white sand, which whilst threw nice undertones on the diver and Grouper, if I'm brutally honest, its overexposed in the immediate foreground. The shot was made in natural light, but with an adjusted white balance (I always shoot on manual white balance when underwater) and no strobes (which would have seriously exacerbated the issue with the sand).Equipment
I used a Fuji FinePix EXR 600 compact camera in a WP-FXF500 Fuji underwater housing.Inspiration
The balance of the Grouper and the dive leader was just perfect. Our guide was full of enthusiasm for his job and the aquatic environment, and I hoped to capture this enthusiasm, coupled with how awkward we humans are underwater when viewed against those things that live there. I was able to sink to the sand in front of them and take several shots before the fish moved and sand from my landing intruded on the shot.Editing
Very little, I often clone out / fix particles that are particularly distracting, but in this case I wanted to maintain the realism of the shot and the environment. Some slight sharpening using an unsharp mask and a check on the levels were about it for this one.In my camera bag
Slightly moved on since this shot - I carry an old Canon D10 with a Sigma lens for those moments in the air above. Below I have a Canon X1 Mark two in a Canon WP-DSC53 underwater housing. This is mounted on an Ikelite frame with a Sea and Sea YS-01 strobe (chosen for its TTL capability and target light), soon to be coupled to a YS-02 slave. I always carry o-rings, grease, cleaning kit, batteries (charged of course!) and memory cards. if i am on a boat for the day, I will usually carry a backup camera of a Canon S110 or my old (and somewhat temperamental!) FinePix EXR600.Feedback
i'm a great believer that good underwater photography can be achieved with compact cameras providing you still follow the fundamentals - manually adjust your white balance constantly, get 'eye to eye' with the subject, follow the principles of composition, put a diver in the picture and get a little lucky! Seriously it is vital that you know your camera backwards and the capability it has in its housing, and your dive skills with regard to buoyancy are exemplary. In order to shoot your subject well, it is important you understand its typical behavior, not only for a great shot, but also for your own safety (trust me, being chased by a trigger fish is an experience I could have lived without!). Angle of shot has a dramatic effect in water to the depth of field, so you need to find good locations as well as fauna. Above all though, take great shots, but do so without stressing your subject or damaging the environment, so you leave a pristine scene for others who are inspired by your photos, to enjoy.
