Bubbles in the Calavera cenote
Sep, 2016Views
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chambersphotog
November 28, 2016
Awesome shot welcome to view bug look forward to seeing more of your work
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Taken whilst on holiday, at Cenote Calavera, Quintana Roo 109, Tulum, Q.R., Mexico. 20°13'45.0"N 87°27'26.1"W (20.229172, -87.457243).Time
This was the second dive of the day, after an early deep (40m) dive at Angelita Cenote. We kitted up at the car park and then took a short walk through the undergrowth to the area of bare rock, where the openings to the cenote were (this cenote gets its name from the three holes in the roof of the cenote, that resemble a skull). We got in the water around 10:30-11:00 am, with a fun 3m leap off the top, and were in for approx. 45 mins.Lighting
This was shot using the ambient light, shining in through one of the three main holes in the ceiling of the cenote. I like the property of bubbles, in that they reflect and refract the light, but also cast shadows. The sun was high in the sky and it was a lovely clear day, which all helped to achieve the rays of light.Equipment
As I'm pretty new to underwater photography, I had minimal kit; just my Sony DSC-HX20V in an Ikelite housing.Inspiration
I'd seen some photos taken in this particular cenote in the brochure, when deciding which ones to visit. I loved the deep green hues and frankly didn't believe quite how vivid the colour was in the photos, so was eager to see it for myself. It is soooo green! This photo was taken right near the end of the dive, during a safety stop. I think that the bubbles were coming up through gaps in the rock, from other areas/chambers of the cenote where we had been (we were the only divers in there at the time), which is why they were nice and small and slower-moving. Had they been moving faster, I think they might have all just been a big green blur. As it was, I had to brace myself against the wall of the cave to try and make sure that I was perfectly still for the shot.Editing
I don't have much experience with post-processing and generally try to avoid it where I can. However, more often than not, shooting ambient light under the water often means changing white balance. Generally the water is so clear in these cenotes, that the colour loss is less than in the sea. Also, without external lighting, most of my cenote photos from this trip were confined to shallower areas, near the openings. I didn't carry out any post-processing on this photo, as the colours were very true.In my camera bag
The best camera is the camera you have with you. My little Sony DSC-HX20V still goes everywhere with me. I now have a slave strobe/flash and a macro wet-lens for my underwater setup and I love the results - even though I'm still learning. I have yet to upgrade my underwater setup, but will be looking to move to a system where I can capture in RAW and with full manual control (aperture, ISO, etc.), as this opens up more opportunities for creativity. I think I will still keep the Sony compact after I upgrade, as it is a good little travel camera, with a hefty zoom for its size. I've also recently realised how good some smart-phone cameras are and have started using mine (S8+) a bit more - it's great to have for photo services with apps like Instagram (@fleeeeetch) ;)Feedback
A clear day, with the sun high in the sky are best. Beyond that, just find a nice angle and snap away, taking care to keep yourself still, if you kit requires it.
