Hawksbill
An adult Hawksbill turtle delights divers as it swims along the coral and fans off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas.
An adult Hawksbill turtle delights divers as it swims along the coral and fans off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas.
Read less
Read less
Sep, 2016Views
738
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Coral reefs Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Genius
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 meters down, a short boat ride from Nassau, Bahamas, this curious Hawksbill sea turtle came cruising past our dive group as we explored the beauty of the local coral reef.Time
An early morning of packing up dive gear, catching the shuttle down to the docks, and boarding the dive boat all lead to being in the right place at the right time for this spectacular encounter with this critically endangered animal. Morning dives are always a great time to catch the flurry of activity that comes from the nocturnal wildlife bedding down, the daytime wildlife starting the days hunting, and the overlap of the two that almost always makes for exciting encounters.Lighting
The barest bit of external strobe was used for just a hint of fill for this image that is predominantly natural light.Equipment
I shot this image with my standard rig for vacation diving; a Canon G16, a FantaSea underwater housing, and a single off camera strobe triggered by fiber optic line.Inspiration
I love exploring the underwater world and sharing it with people who have never experienced it, so when I came across this gentle creature that so few ever get to see, I knew it was something I had to capture. I am always in awe of the beauty and grace that sea turtles embody, and still get giddy as a school boy when I encounter them in the wild. If my photos can inspire even one person to aid in their conservation then it was all time well spent.Editing
I try and keep my post processing to a minimum usually, and this photo was no exception. I did boost the contrast a bit and run a slight high pass filter over this image to make the details pop.In my camera bag
For my underwater shooting I have a Canon G16 in a Fantasea housing, off camera strobes for shooting below 10 meters, and of course a GoPro strapped to my wrist just in case.Feedback
Shooting underwater is all about buoyancy control, the better your buoyancy is the easier you'll find your photography to be. I try to stay a bit negatively buoyant when I'm shooting underwater, so when I've located a clear patch in the sand to position for a shot I can frame up, blow out all my air, and snap the picture.
