Greetings from Manado

[jelimon]

Hey all! some pictures from a recent short trip to Manado in North Sulawesi. They are mediocre at best, but do leave comments on how I can improve. Cheers!

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[jelimon]

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[jelimon]

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[jelimon]

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[ScubaSteve]

I am no expert so I can only state the obvious. First of all, great shots and thanks for sharing. Now I can only recommend that you zoom in a little to avoid getting the black edges (Vignetting). Also, always try to shoot looking up at your subject (I cannot do this and often it is the surroundings that limit that).

What camera sustem are you using?

 

[jelimon]

I am no expert so I can only state the obvious. First of all, great shots and thanks for sharing. Now I can only recommend that you zoom in a little to avoid getting the black edges (Vignetting). Also, always try to shoot looking up at your subject (I cannot do this and often it is the surroundings that limit that).

What camera sustem are you using?

hey steve, thanks for your comments! I quite forgot about the zooming in bit actually, but my zoom lever was a little faulty to begin with so the idea kinda got chucked at the back of my head.

will try to shoot upwards as much as the conditions allow. most of my macro subjects were so near the seabed that i was practically resting on the sand (of course with checking before I land).

I'm using an A640 housed in Ikelite, with either Inon macro or WA lens and a borrowed Z-240 strobe. My own strobe is a D2000S but it was a tad weak for WA.

 

[ScubaSteve]

hey steve, thanks for your comments! I quite forgot about the zooming in bit actually, but my zoom lever was a little faulty to begin with so the idea kinda got chucked at the back of my head.

will try to shoot upwards as much as the conditions allow. most of my macro subjects were so near the seabed that i was practically resting on the sand (of course with checking before I land).

I'm using an A640 housed in Ikelite, with either Inon macro or WA lens and a borrowed Z-240 strobe. My own strobe is a D2000S but it was a tad weak for WA.

You are welcome. I only hope I get some shots like these on my upcoming trip to Bonaire. And my comments are definitely one amateur to another. I too have problems shooting upwards (that just usually is not how the opportunity presents itself) but if the subject cooperates, it is not always critical (IMHO that is). I would personally say that you have good placement of the subject in the frame in most cases but you might want to look at how the strobe is pointed on some of the landscape and diver shots (further from the camera and pointed in at an angle to the subject). The macro shots look well done. Hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will step in soon and give you real advice.

 

[Deefstes]

Whoah! I'm blown away. Your pictures are awesome and particularly your macros. Thanks for posting.

 

[jelimon]

thanks guys for your comments!

 

[Darnold9999]

I like the subjects and am looking forward to a trip to that area later this year.

Forget about the zoom, get closer (if possible). The zoom doesn't eliminate all the water between you and your subject it just narrows the field of view. So your composition will likely be better, but the actual picture will still have the same issues. See number 3 - you were in very close and the image is nice and clear. Closer would be even better, but would probably have spooked the eel. The less water the better. Less stuff to absorb/reflect the light between the lens and subject.