GOPR0212
Sep, 2014Views
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Winner in People under water Photo Challenge
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People's Choice in Only GoPro Photo Challenge
Winner in Offshore oil Rigs Photo Challenge
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Behind The Lens
Location
I have been a law enforcement diver for about 12 years and an amateur photographer for most of my life. During a two month training mission in Southern California we got the chance to do a deep dive at oil platform Edith. The platform is between Huntington Beach and Catalina Island.Time
During the training we were diving in a lot of great spots, this happed to be one of favorites. Our days usually started out about four in the morning and ended about four in the afternoon. This shot was taken during our first dive and was around eight or nine in the morning which gave great visibility and great lighting.Lighting
As we swam up to the structure, I saw that the sun light was coming from the opposite side and was still low enough to back light the pillars. I thought that this would make for a great silhouette. I let the natural light expose the growth on the structure but also to hide the identity of the diver to make it look more mysterious.Equipment
I am a landscape photographer and normally I would have my Canon and a few lens, but because my Canon is allergic to salt water, I decided to leave it on the boat. I settled for my GoPro Hero 3 silver. I set my GoPro on a handheld platform which made it easier to take both stills and video.Inspiration
This was a great diving experience. We were getting to dive a location that is usually off limits to people. I knew that there were going to be some great shots here. As we got down to about 100 feet, I looked out and saw this structure going up into the light above us and down into the darkness below us. I then saw how the light was streaming through the pillars. I then knew that I had to get the shot. I signaled for my dive partner to swim out in front and then turn around. My dive partner is also a photographer, he saw the same thing as I did and he knew exactly what I wanted him to do.Editing
The original photo is in color, but as I looked at it, I thought it would look so much better in black and white. I used Lightroom 5 to change it to black and white. I also sharpened it up and added some grain to help make the photo look a bit more ominous.In my camera bag
Since this wasn't a normal photography secession, I was only carrying my GoPro. Normally I would have my Canon DSLR with a 50mm, 18-55mm and a 55-200mm lens along with my tripod and filters. I would like to get a underwater housing for my DSLR but until then I will have to use my GoPro.Feedback
The underwater landscape off of the California coast is very beautiful and makes for some great shots. This shot was taken in a very dangerous area. Not only because we were 100 feet underwater, but also because this is a working oil platform. About 60 feet above us was a water intake for the platform and it was big enough and strong enough to pull in and trap a diver. We were given special permission to dive this location and instructions as to where the intakes were. I would advise that you need the proper training and authorizations before attempting to go around a structure like this.
