A little experimenting:

[alcina]

Spent my two dives yesterday playing around with a different lens and all sorts of just off the cuff ideas. Just experimenting was great and although I'm not winning any awards with the results, it really has made me think. And using the different lens on dive one made dive two more interesting because I was "seeing" a little differently than usual.

I know this isn't Critique section, but I am always interested in comments on how the images strike you - and/or ideas on things to try next time! I keep reminding myself that there aren't any bad images, just images that provide a starting point for the next dive

I was initially concerned that I would struggle to get sun rays with the "slow" shutter synch of 1/250 on the Canon...I'm not so worried now ;D

Then I thought I might like no strobe, really concentrate on the shapes:

And then on dive two I had to play with the ever present gobie - this looked better in the lcd on the camera, but oh well:

As always, enjoy

 

[dkktsunami]

Very impressive! Wish I could do that.

 

[CBulla]

The top two are just neat at how the two pictures, while the very similar, provide some dramatically different depth perspective. I could pick a favorite but it would be different in 15 minutes because my mood would change... though the top one is growing on me the more I look at it. I absolutely love the light penetration in the water as well as the illumination of the top of the structure.

That Gobie picture is brilliant.. incredible color and depth perspective!

 

[Puffer Fish]

I like the first pic - but with or without the strobe. The position of the sun has a better composition.

The Gobie needs some cropping and image adjustment, but love the subject.

Nice stuff.

 

[Jamdiver]

Sort of echoing other poster's sentiments here.

Personally I prefer the second pic sans strobe as the silhouette of the staghorn? coral stands out nicely in the pic.
Also the water is a deeper blue and the fish seem a bit clearer to me at least to my eye, I don't know it just looks more underwaterish to me that way.

Love the depth of field with the goby in the last pic was this f3.0 or f4.0?
The detail in the foreground especially of the coral(ridges and valleys) is great, same goes for the Goby.

Only thing I would do different, assuming that I'd even have the skill to get this photo is change the angle a little so maybe the viewer could get a sense of the scale of the goby to the coral and the deep blue beyond it!
Isolated and lonely and all that!!

Just so you know I don't think any of these shots are 'bad' they're all excellent.
In fact I could see the Goby pic in an underwater photography book.
Just my 2 cheap cents .

 

[alcina]

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

It's very interesting to hear how each of your perceive each image and how you would do it differently.

One of the great things I find about photography is how many ways there are to "see". Sometimes it's hard not to think "well, the right or better way to do that shot would be..." - that's why I know how spoiled I am that I get the opportunity to go out and fool around rather than trying to do the same ol' same ol' all the time! I like to bring back "keepers" too, but even more sometimes I like to bring back images that provide a foundation for future shots (my own or other people's) or a fork in the road to take me or others further afield. There is no "right" or "wrong" in photography

Each shot was deliberate in this series...happy to see that they have each encouraged viewing and thought

Gobie @ f8 1/200 (btw - there is no deep blue behind the gobie )

 

[justleesa]

I first thought I like the sun rays in the first pic...but I like the ones in the 2nd pic too...and I like the shadows in the 2nd one and and and...oh shucks they both have something

As for the gobie.....I like it a lot ...what might make it look more interesting, make him pop even more...dodge the background behind him a bit....

 

[Dee]

I love the sun rays in both shots but I think there's too much negative space at the bottom of both. I'd especially crop the first one by about a third from the bottom.

I know you were going for a silhouette but I'd like to see what the coral would look like with a little strobe lighting in the foreground, not a lot...just a bit. I think it might add some interest without taking away from the sunball.