Grand Bahama Photos

[ScubyDoo]

I just got back from Grand Bahama Island and my first saltwater dives. WOW!!!!

I shot a roll of film for every dive. Ive uploaded digitized versions to Webshots so others can enjoy, critique, or whatever. Ive only uploaded three dives thus far, with 2 more dives to upload.
Those uploaded thus far are:

Gails Grotto - A reef dive
Sea Star - 178 foot freighter sunk last year in 90fsw
Badger - A small tug boat sunk in about 55fsw

These dives were all done with Fred Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba. My pictures are very amatuer as you will see, but you gotta start somewhere. All pictures taken with Sea & Sea MX-10 and Kodak Royal Gold 400 (except for Sea Star) which were taken with Fuji Reala 100. I also forgot to put my wide angle lens on for the Sea Star dive as well. Oops! Im learning, sometimes the hard way!

I still have UNEXSO's dolphin dive pictures to upload, as well as pictures taken at Shark Junction (saw three black tip reef sharks). I took a picture of one which barely shows up in the picture.

Anyway heres the URL for the first three dives. Enjoy....maybe?

http://community.webshots.com/user/mkinsel

 

[jray]

The photo's you posted aren't bad at all. I'm a wanna be amateur underwater photographer and I hope mine turn out as good.

Keep up the good work

 

[Dee]

Very good start!

One of the first things I can suggest is not to shoot down on the subject. In almost every one of your reef shots, you are above the reef, shooting down...this gives you a very flat picture, very dull.

All beginner photographers do the same thing! That why the first 3 rules of u/w photography is 1) get closer 2) shoot up 3) get even closer!

 

[MaresMan1]

Very nice pictures and a good start in photography. Need to work on the lighting, but still very good. Made me wish I was there. ;-0

Thanks,

Enjoy the ride!
:mean:

 

[Tavi]

Brings back memories!!
sounds like you had a good time!!

 

[ScubyDoo]

Dee once bubbled...
Very good start!

One of the first things I can suggest is not to shoot down on the subject. In almost every one of your reef shots, you are above the reef, shooting down...this gives you a very flat picture, very dull.

All beginner photographers do the same thing! That why the first 3 rules of u/w photography is 1) get closer 2) shoot up 3) get even closer!

Of course your right Dee. Funny thing is I knew all those things, and just plain forgot to practice them. I took the online MX-10 course which emphasized everything you just said. I think I was so overwhelmed with everything around me that I just plain forgot! In most of the photos I was using the wide angle lens which has a 4 feet to infinity depth of field, so getting real close wasnt an option. I had my close up lens on my lens caddy, but never thought to switch it out. Honestly, I was just happy to be where I was and have a camera I'll definately work on all your good advice the next time out.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Tavi once bubbled...
Brings back memories!!
sounds like you had a good time!!

Hey Tavi!
Yes we had a blast. Diving with Fred was great. His love of the local reefs combined with his whit makes for interesting and enjoyable surface intervals. He really goes out of his way to protect the reefs there. I personally watched him remove at least 2 tangled balls of fishing line from the reef, as well as cleaning algae from one coral which he said he's been pampering for quite a while trying to save it. During one surface interval he made a remark about a nearby fishing boat.

"Theres one of my favorite fishing boats again......never a stinger missile around when you need one"

I guess he's had some bad experiences with that particular fisherman damaging the reef in some manner?

On another day, we dropped by the boat to ask where he thought he would be diving that particular day (trying to decide if we wanted to go along), and he replied "The Ocean" with a big grin! We got the point needless to say, which was .....it doesnt matter....its all good!!! The boat was never really crowded. I think the most we ever had was about 10 people including Fred and one of his divemaster girls JoAnne or Jade. We were going to dive Theo's on Friday, but I got a little carried away on the Booze cruise the night before, and we also wanted to spend some more time on the beach so we opted out of that one. We also did UNEXSO's dolphin dive which was really cool. Its all on video tape too, so we'll be able to show friends and family how much fun diving really is.