Lembeh photos with an oly SP-350

[Tassie_Rohan]

Hi there all -

I just got from lembeh in indonesia and was able to try out my Oly SP350. I'd though i'd post some picks as:

A) Its a relatively new camera and people seem to want to know whats its shots are like

B) I'm a new to underwater photography (this is my second dive trip with it) and I'd appreciate some tips.

I'm using the PT30 housing, Inon macro and wide angle lenses and a borrowed strobe. Its the first time I've used a strobe, and as it was a manual slave there was a fair amount of learning to start out with. I'll post my thoughts on the camera, and requests for tips, as I go along.


First up, Froggies:

Be nice to light her hairs up better - would a strobe behind work?

I like the guilty 'who me' stance....

 

[Floridawannabe]

Awsome frogs. I like the last one the best.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

My first Pigmy sea horse photo! Now I no longer feel like a UW virgin and that I've joined the club! Its been cropped and dispite shooting 1/300 (F8, 100 ASA) I didnt get a black background - any tips?

This Colmans Pigmy was minute - only 3 mm tall. It was the hardest thing to shoot with the SP350: the screen darkens in manual mode when at f8 to show depth of field so I had to waste a lot of shots to get in focus (the screen lightens when the shutter is half depressed, but only for the millisecond you are focusing for). AF spot focus and a focus light helps. The scene mode has UW macro mode that keeps the screen light: but you have no control over aperture (it seems to prefer higher speeds to larger aperture and doesn’t take the slave strobe into account). Any tips? Zoom out to get better depth of field?

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

This one looked like a rocket. Should get closer and to the front I guess? Any other nudi tips?

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

I chopped the tail off this one, but finaly got the dark background I wanted.


A few more to go but must run along now. I'd appreciate any criticism on lighting/exposure etc or tips.

 

[alcina]

Great images!

Yes, moving your stobe (probably a 2nd is best) will allow you to make the hairs glow - but it's tricky. Your lighting on that one isn't bad though it's a tad hot. I'd want to bring it more to the right so the side of his face isn't in so much shadow. Always next time!

I love all the froggie shots!!

Black backgrounds - up that shutter. Shoot 1/800 or 1/1000 - make it dark so the only possible light has to come from your strobe only.

Excellent results - wonderful variety of creatures - fabulous effort with a new camera and a new strobe!!

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Oct at home with her eggs behind her. I'm not happy with this exposure - too far away I guess?

Thats all for now,
Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Great images!

Yes, moving your stobe (probably a 2nd is best) will allow you to make the hairs glow - but it's tricky. Your lighting on that one isn't bad though it's a tad hot. I'd want to bring it more to the right so the side of his face isn't in so much shadow. Always next time!

I love all the froggie shots!!

Black backgrounds - up that shutter. Shoot 1/800 or 1/1000 - make it dark so the only possible light has to come from your strobe only.

Excellent results - wonderful variety of creatures - fabulous effort with a new camera and a new strobe!!

Thanks for the tips Alcina - thats exactly the sort of stuff I want to hear.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[kidsdream]

Great captures. Very intersting subjects and very nice work with a new camera. Some of the shots are bit soft as it relates to focus, I real like the second Frog Fish and your first Pipe Fish.

 

[Jamdiver]

Great shots, just wonderful.
I'd never guess that you're relatively new to u/w photography .

Cheers.