FrankPro1
Contributor
7 months, 19 days and 22 hours since my last scuba dive and oh was I one dry fish. Marineland is where I made my first post certification dives 4 years ago and It was only fitting that my first dive back in So Cal would be there. The Badlands of North Dakota have an incredible array of wildlife to photograph and observe but I never got the same "rush" encountering them as I do with our local underwater critters. It's good to be home 
This was my first dive with my new camera rig "Ikelite Housing, Sony A65v w/ Sigma 70mm EX Macro lens" and out of the 100+ photos I took over the 90 minute dive, very few were post worthy. The Ikelite port for the Sigma 70mm allows for manual focus only, something which I've never had to use on my previous setups. Also this lens has a very small DOF when shooting in 1:1, so capturing anything in focus that moves takes paitence and a steady hand.
Here are a few stills that made the cut:
This pair of Fringeheads were found in 15ft of water on adjoing boulders from eachother near the cobblestone beach entry/exit. I suspect that there are many more of them on the peninsula then are normally reported or photographed. They are easily passed over, unless you really slow down and scour small sections of reef. It definently takes some patience and a quick eye to spot these little dudes.
Serpellid worm, Serpula columbiana?
Scalyhead sculpin, Artedius harringtoni
One of two adult Two Spot Octopus spotted on the dive.
This big boy Cabezon has definently been enjoying the feast that MPA's offer to its top-tier predators. He was very plump
Juvi Barred Bass?
This was my first dive with my new camera rig "Ikelite Housing, Sony A65v w/ Sigma 70mm EX Macro lens" and out of the 100+ photos I took over the 90 minute dive, very few were post worthy. The Ikelite port for the Sigma 70mm allows for manual focus only, something which I've never had to use on my previous setups. Also this lens has a very small DOF when shooting in 1:1, so capturing anything in focus that moves takes paitence and a steady hand.
Here are a few stills that made the cut:
This pair of Fringeheads were found in 15ft of water on adjoing boulders from eachother near the cobblestone beach entry/exit. I suspect that there are many more of them on the peninsula then are normally reported or photographed. They are easily passed over, unless you really slow down and scour small sections of reef. It definently takes some patience and a quick eye to spot these little dudes.
Serpellid worm, Serpula columbiana?
Scalyhead sculpin, Artedius harringtoni
One of two adult Two Spot Octopus spotted on the dive.
This big boy Cabezon has definently been enjoying the feast that MPA's offer to its top-tier predators. He was very plump
Juvi Barred Bass?
