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Watersnakes seem to be well informed. Not a single among them appears to fear me, and some will swim right up to the mask glass to look inside, sniffing (with t...
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Watersnakes seem to be well informed. Not a single among them appears to fear me, and some will swim right up to the mask glass to look inside, sniffing (with their tongue). Quite an experience! :)
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Aug, 2015Views
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Winner in Dramatic Selfies Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Is that for real? Photo Challenge
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was made in Lake Ohrid, on the outer rim of its shoreline reed forest. This zone is preferred by watersnakes, because it allows them to hide and rest, and is also adjacent to open water where their prey moves. It is also my favorite swimming area, so...Time
02-Jun-18 13:51:49, says the Exif.Lighting
Pure daylight in shallow water; pretty same lighting conditions as on dry land, because it's practically mid-day.Equipment
My preferred camera for snorkeling nowadays is an Olympus Tough TG-2, here shot "selfie-wise" and upside down out of hand, with no added accesories.Inspiration
The inquisitive nature of watersnakes is enough motivation for me. I am also delighted and feel highly privileged that animals are not frightened by my presence - meaning that I'm more or less accepted in their World. Considering the overall experience the animals have with people, this is really something, and I'm trying to keep that aura of "I-am-no-danger-to-you" about me as strongly as I can.Editing
I always tweak the majority of such shots, since situations like this one do not allow for much attention to the camera position or settings! So I had to rotate the upside-down orientation, re-frame the image, add some sharpening; not much; and lift some shadows that I felt were too deep. Not much of anything, though... just a tad of each.In my camera bag
A standard question here gets a standard answer! So I have this answer ready, and just cleverly copy / paste! To my snorkelling swims I take a basic minimum, just a mask, snorkel and fins, plus my camera and a knife. The knife is for cutting lose the fishes and crustaceans that I so often find entangled in the torn off remnants of fishing nets. This can't be done by the bare hands as the net webbing is too strong and thin. Otherwise, in normal dry-land photographing situations I find it easier to carry a photo vest than any photo bag. So I load my photo vest with whatever I might need for my photo session, walk or trip, while my photo bags usually keep the equipment I'm not using at the moment. The vest's many pockets usually contain two cameras, spare batteries, ND and CPL filters, and one photo clamp standing in for a tripod. Recently I include a small action camera, mainly for its wide field of view and resistance to water and weather. The vest also has large-lens pockets that contain a small water bottle, sandwich, or a bar of chocolate if I plan on being out for the whole day. There is about three meters length of paracord or similar strong, thin rope, one hefty pocket knife, and a lighter. My smartphone comes along too. It has yet another spare camera, but more importantly the Spirit Level App to make the phone a perfectly horizontal surface under the camera. This is essential for panoramic sweeps. The app is free, and requires no extra permissions whatsoever. The large back pocket of the vest is reserved for a lightweight rain poncho. If the weather suddenly plays up, the poncho neatly covers all. Using the tools mentioned above, much can be improvised along the way, so that's all I need to make photos.Feedback
Swim slowly and as silently as you can, use fluid movements and do whatever is possible not to alarm the shy water creatures. You will get many chances to create nice photos that way. Also, switch off all camera sounds right away, and for the same reasons! You will feel what the camera does in your hand anyway. Avoid that "hunting attitude" - it can be widely sensed all around you, so never consider your themes as "targets" or "objects". Think how beautiful the animals you see around you are... notice how their behavior changes when you do that! The Nature will award you for your effort. Also, be prepared to help the animals in trouble (note my comment about the knife!), and always remove the net remains out of water! The net will go on capturing and killing if left there, until it rots - and that may take a hundred years! However, be careful when doing it, so you don't get entangled yourself. The animal life you save will be added to your good Karma... and your enjoyment of our World will grow!
