Macror Photography & Lenses

[KaylinQ]

Yes Anilao can tend to be a zoo...lol. Mostly we go there on Monday and Tuesdays. Seems to be when its not so busy. Went once on a weekend...never again! My buddy does video so we make a fine pair... Have you tried Planet Dive? (not on a weekend..lol) Where abouts in Batangas have you been diving around? Palau and macro...nope! More on the wide angle side. Sharks, manta rays if your lucky, turtles, big fishes. I think our dive shop may be planning another trip back to Palau sometime in October. We are seriously thinking about going back again...(that good...lol) My favourite subjects are actually Opisthobranchs, and anything I have not seen. I love finding new marine life and finding out more about them. My website is at http://www.opus.pogopus.com. I'm planning to update it again. Its not very user friendly if you dont have IE...lol. Slow loading due to the graphics and sound files. One requires patience like in photography I suppose..hahaa! You wouldnt have your work up also? Would like to see also. Was wondering what dive shop are you using in Makati or if any?

 

[ligpo2001]

Hi again!

You really have an interesting dive schedule. Unfortunately, I am unable to do dived during workdays (Mon-Fri) unless I pretend to be sick to work Nonetheless, I am happy coz I am able to maximize the weekdays anyway.

I visit several diveshops, depending on the need. I love Oceancolors because of their excellent service. I am presently enrolled in their Nitrox class and plan to do the check out dive at Planet Dive on Aug 3. I have not been there before. Is it a nice place? Any macro opportunity there? I get Ikelite substrobe replacement bulbs at divebuddies, and would have my tanks checked-up there too. I get air fills at Scuba world (San Juan) because it is near the house. Are you asssociated with any diveshop?

Can you send your emal ad to ligpo2001@yahoo.com ? Then I can share with you information on where I spend time in Batangas. It is a quiet place and normally good for macro or just practising uwphotography. Will tell you more about it . . . Thanks

 

[Tony]

KaylinQ,

If you're just starting w/ macro pix, my suggestion would be to stick to just using your prime lenses w/o any filters first, and concentrate on getting really nice shots you like with the lenses - composition, colour, subject, mood, lighting, etc

The lenses are expensive, and have a lot of high quality glass for high quality images. Filters are much less expensive, and even the best filters are not as high quality as the glass in the prime lenses.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there's the problem of loss of depth of field if you use diopters. In addition, you will get soft edges on the pix, some loss of optical quality (depending upon the filter), and a change in the effective focal distances. These are complications you don't really want to deal with if you're just starting out.

IMHO, the best pix come from just using the lenses. Using diopters and filters can be very effective from time to time, on a case by case basis.

Cheers,

Tony
www.silent-symphony.com

 

[KaylinQ]

ligpo2001
Will email you.... We are out in Quezon City and mostly use the DiveShoppe with Dave Santos. DiveBuddies we deal with for our camera stuff. I'm sure if you ask one of the staff there about the two girls and the dog who do u/w photography and video they will remember us. (there are two other girls apparently that do u/w photography also.) Aquaventures, we go in to raid the shop and check out stuff every-once in a while...lol. Planet Dive! Yes that is where we are found at least once a month. Mostly do our diving out from there. The Barge is one dive we've memorized and do in our sleep...rofl. It's normally our last dive on the last day since we travel with our Aussie "Tara" (dog), and this gives us a chance to spend some water time with her before we head back to Manila.

 

[KaylinQ]

Tony
Stopped by your website. Decided that when I grow up.... i want to be just like you...lol. (now if I can just stuff all your skills into one moment of sudden learning and clarity and dispense with this struggling!)

I started out using the +6 diopter with the 60mm lens right away. Felt I couldn't get close enough. Though you have a point there. I think next time I go down I will do without the diopter and start from square one again. Back to basics. Try to find my depth of field once again. Thanks for the hint!

When I use the 105mm lens I tried using the +6 diopter but gave up on using the diopter after a while. Found I really needed to be steady when taking a picture. Was kinda of hard when diving with people who kept leaving me behind...lol. Too much of a rush, rush job. Pictures were just so-so.

Was wondering what sort of strobe set up you use? I use two SB100's. But find that its just too much. Have a SB50 that I tried to use either by itself or as a filler with one SB100. Lately I've been fighting with the strobes more and not really concentrating on the subject or picture. Too much light, not enough light, or strobes not going off ( might be the cord?).

When we went to Palau we had dove with a fellow named Bert Yates and he was kind enough to point out some other things for me also. Such as using 400 instead of 100 ISO in certain conditions. And yes he made me take off my diopters...lol. Which was a first since I started doing macro. I guess its a sign...lol. Will be tucking those diopters far away from my fingers for the next little while...

 

[Tony]

KaylinQ,

Great! I think you'll end up getting much better results w/o the diopters. Save them for later...they can be useful for some situations. I think I've only ever used them for 3-4 subjects though.

Strobes...I use all Sea & Sea strobes. Sometimes, one, sometimes two, three, four, five...depends upon the lighting situation and effect I want.

For macro, you don't need huge strobes. The keep is to get as close to the subject as possible. The closer your strobe is to your subject, the more even the lighting. With one strobe, you need to think about the shadows that might result. Try simulating with a flashlight in a dark room on land, and you'll see what happens when you move the strobe around. With two strobes, you're more likely to get even lighting.

Try to use as short as arms as possible to hold the strobes in place. Preposition the strobes for the effect you want before you approach your subject, so you don't end up fidgeting with the strobes too much, and can just concentrate on composition.

For macro, I'm partial to Fuji Velvia, which is rated ISO 50, for the best collor saturation and grain. With the strobes you have, you should have plenty of light to use ISO 50 or ISO 100. With ISO 400, if you are as close as you should be to your subject, you may burn out/ overexpose the film. Plus, grain and color saturation tend to be not as good.

Keep shooting, and good luck!!!

Cheers,

Tony
www.silent-symphony.com

 

[gemma]

If you want you can see our underwater photography web site , that in every photo you can see the lens that has been used. For macro we use lens macro plus teleconverter.
www.josepclotas.com

Best regards from Spain.

Josep&gemma

 

[ligpo2001]

I have been using SS200 and SS100 for macros. I also used SS50 before - they are also ok and the small size is ideal. But later on stuck to the SS200 and SS100 especially when using a 60mm coz it gives me flexibility it shoot to shoot macro and non-macro (in case my favorite resident sea turtle passes by) I would recommend that you master the strobes you have before trying new ones. I learned from past mistakes to keep things simple so that the learning curve is not disrupted. One step at a time . . . so to speak. In most macro situations, are you using the N60 on Manual? If yes, what speed?

I also tried +4 diopters and now use them only in very specific situations. I find the 105 and 60 enough to get close shots of most subjects. Have you tried using the 60 on a dome port?

By the way, are you using those Ikelite arms? If yes, you may want to change them. I certainly did - but not after learning the hard way - trying to use those bulky and heavy arms. My uwphotography teacher, Gutsy Tuason insisted that I get rid of them. Now I exclusively use Ultralight Arms. They have arms for Ikelite housings.

How is bouyancy of your Ike housing with the SS100? It can become positive if you are using some battery types. Or can be negative depending again on the battery type. I now use Ike rechargeable batteries on the 100s. On the other hand , I have glued "floaters" on my SS200 so that the whole set-up doesnt become too negative. The weight can tire me after an hour or so.

I was supposed to visit Planet Dive yesterday for EANx check out dive, but it was postponed. See you these someday!

 

[KaylinQ]

Hi Sorry Ligpo and everyone else for not getting back. *sigh* rl and stuff got in the way...plus was updating my website for the zillionth time...lol. I think I finally got it user friendly...hahaha!

Ligpo just got back also a few days ago from Planet Dive. Did our Nitrox Course finally! Getting ready for the Tubbataha Trip again! Of course I'm antsy as ever about the trip. Last time they woke us up in the middle of the night throwing lifevests at us...hahaha! A strong wind came up and waves were huge and we were almost blown into a reef. Hopefully it'll be more peacefull this time...lol. Somehow being in the middle of the ocean with noland in sight....

Oh those Ultra Light Arms? Where did you get them here? Yep still using those heavy arms...hahaha! I just keep telling myself it's excersise...lol. Just don't cross my path when I finish a dive and rinsing camera gear. Especially if you're planning to put your gear with my camera equipment to rinse too...i've built up some muscle in the area...lol.

Oh if you are ever at planet dive...look for the australian shepherd named Tara...and the girl with green alien eyes...lol. that would be me. both of us are normally not very far apart.

ut:

 

[Tony]

Hi KaylinQ,

Just took a look at your updated website. Very ambitious! Especially like the night shots of the mantas...

Cheers,

Tony