Angthong National Marine Park
Jan, 2013Views
63
Likes
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 2Top 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rankCategories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the Ang Thong National Marine Park, located in the the Gulf of Thailand, a stunning archipelago of some 40+ islands, covered in lush forests, emerald lagoons and pristine beaches.Time
I'd always been told that the light from the midday sun is not friendly for photographers, often being harsh and too direct, however in some cases, as with this image, it proved to be exactly what was needed. Shot around 1 pm, the journey to the site had taken several hours and by the time we arrived the sun was high in the sky.Lighting
This particular site was enclosed by tall rocky islands, blocking out the direct midday sunlight and leaving the image, particularly the water with a beautiful glow, which may not have been the case has the light been direct into the shot.Equipment
Shot using my first underwater camera, an Intova Digital (the actual camera name escapes me) which I no longer posses. Apart from that, myself, a snorkel, and a pair of fins.Inspiration
At the time, I was snorkelling, trying to capture the variety of marine life beneath the surface, however the visibility was less than desirable and so I found myself paying more attention to the surface. The rocky outcrops with their dynamic shapes, shadowing bases and green tufts of foliage were almost symmetrical, which ever direction you looked, as was the sky above to the water below. All the subjects just seemed to fit.Editing
Surprisingly not, the vast majority of similar shots had water droplets on the lens which was to be expected, however this image somehow avoided any at all, taking away the need to remove them.In my camera bag
I always keep it simple, and don't clutter myself with much equipment. My main camera, the Nikon D3100; a gorilla pod, traditional tripods are far to bulky in my eyes; a camera sized dry bag and several batteries and memory cards.Feedback
Any shot taken from water level of the surface is going to produce the challenge of keeping the lens water free, as well as keeping the camera as still as possible while you yourself are moving around in the water. The only advise I could give is to never give up, I went though several iterations of this image before I found the perfect balance, which I only achieved through perseverance. Also try to find a location without a colony of sea urchins living only feet below the surface, I learnt how to stay horizontal in the water that day.
