A few pics from Bonaire

[deeper thoughts]

thank you. I don't know what was going on but all week it was ranging from 60 down to 30 or 40 feet. I even had a lot of backscatter in the macro shots. We also had about three dives with significant current, including one shore dive at Capt Dons with very serious current, maybe as much as 2 knots. It was kind of funny because i was down there with my brother and his son and I was just telling them, right before the dive, how you never have current in Bonaire. Maybe the two things were related.

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Have you used stacked macro lenses before? If not, I can give you a few hints. Yes, I entered a shot in the contest. There were only four entries so I lucked out.

Hints would be nice
Thnx

 

[saudio]

Well, the most important thing is to focus by moving the camera before trying to engage the auto-focus. If you can't see the subject in partial focus before you half-press the shutter then your auto focus is just going to hunt. Also, because of the razor thin depth of field you get with diopters, you may have more success getting in-focus shots by using a higher aperture setting. And I don't know why this is, but through the viewfinder the DOF appears even thinner than you can imagine. Once you have focus lock, take the shot and look at the shot at the screen. Sometimes its shocking how good a focus the image has compared to what you see in the viewfinder.

Actually finding the subject in the viewfinder is challenging. The best thing you can do is find a stationary object on your first dive and use it as a test subject. Then you'll be ready for that two headed pygmy seahorse ;-)

One last thing, if you are using a screw on diopter, be real sure the threads have caught before letting go of it. Especially if you are wall diving. Not an issue in Bonaire, but those things sink fast.

 

[herbdb]

Thanks for the tips, I was hoping to be able to experiment in the local quarry, but have not had the chance. I have not used a macro lens before. I'll take your advise and find a place to lay in the sand near a piece of coral and practice.

I won a weekly contest in March, maybe I'll luck out again.

 

[saudio]

Thanks for the tips, I was hoping to be able to experiment in the local quarry, but have not had the chance. I have not used a macro lens before. I'll take your advise and find a place to lay in the sand near a piece of coral and practice.

I won a weekly contest in March, maybe I'll luck out again.

Already going back? Lucky you! The prize for that contest is pretty sweet, good luck!

 

[calicant]

Nice pics. Are you the same saudio who has a list of trip reports at awoosh? If so you write really good trip reports with excellent photographs. I felt like I was reading a glossy magazine article each time.

 

[emoreira]

The visibility was bad all week so I took only close up and Macro shots with a couple exceptions.

I don't know what was going on but all week it was ranging from 60 down to 30 or 40 feet. ​

I must redefine the "bad visibility" concept.

 

[saudio]

I must redefine the "bad visibility" concept.

"bad" is a relative term .

30 foot vis does not lend itself to wide angle photography with strobes. It's also quite a bit lower than it usually is there.

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I'm curious, do viewers have a "click to enlarge" bar on these images? When I first posted them I could see that but it's gone now.

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Nice pics. Are you the same saudio who has a list of trip reports at awoosh? If so you write really good trip reports with excellent photographs. I felt like I was reading a glossy magazine article each time.

Yes, that's me. And thanks very much. Judy G has a great site. Right now the main address takes you to her blog, so you have to click on "archives" now to get to the trip reports and photos.

Nice to see somebody reads those things. Since there is no mechanism for feedback I never know.