Twin Lakes photo

[Scuba Barbie]

I am new to scuba and therefore new to U/W photography. My land camera is a Minolta with macro and zoom lens (up to 400), so the MX-5 point and shoot is not quite what I am used to.

Also, comparing the photos taken by Dee with her digital to my first attempts was not favorable. I was also comparing my photos to my DI Rob V's, who has a very elaborate system, years of experience, and was filming in the Galapagos, well.... you can see that mine would not fair well.

Yesterday, I made my second photography attempt at Twin Lakes and using Dee's advice - I got much better results. Patience, patience, patience.... Let the fish come to you.

All in all, I think the MX-5 will suit my needs very well for the first couple of years.

-DD

 

[GP]

Very nice pics! What was the viz like when you took these?

 

[Dee]

The viz 8-10 feet and much clearer around the edges in the grass.

 

[GP]

Originally posted by Dee
The viz 8-10 feet and much clearer around the edges in the grass.

That's what I was guessing...very similar conditions to the local lakes here in Minnesota. I find that I can get pics that turn out pretty clear and with decent color down to about 20 ft but any deeper than that without a strobe and they start to get pretty green.

 

[k4sdi]

Red Ear Bluegill, (ughhh)

Someday, my goal in life is to be able to bite on of those on the
*ss instead of the other way around!!! Around here we call 'em
quarry sharks!

Nice Pics!


Mark

 

[TwoBitTxn]

All three sunfish are Red Ear Sunfish or Lepomis microlophus

The blue gill is same genus but different specie macrochirus

I had to look hard at the second one because the verticle bands are so strong. It's possible they are cross breeding and its a mix of a red ear and a blue gill but the spots on the dorsal fin which should be there aren't. A blue gill should have a large black spot or multiple spots on the very rear end of the dorsal fin.

Great pics Dee!

Tom

 

[TwoBitTxn]

The human in the picture is the rare SueJ aka Gumby aka dayglo. Those who were at Travis know where the nick came from.

The background diver I believe is Beast. Calling that one from the doubles.

Tom

 

[SueJ]

Nope! Not me in that one ( I would have had on the infamous wetsuit ) Guess again Tom!

 

[Dee]

Red Ear Sunfish eh? I guess that teensy speck of red next to the spot is the tell tale marker? Dang...I need to study these freshwater things! Do you know of a good online database I can study?

The woman is someone ya'll haven't met unless you've been coming to Twin Lakes. She's Emma Hwang, one of our most recent students and becoming a danged good diver. Sue, I think you met her Wed. evening.

 

[SubMariner]

Dee, I haven't investigated any online resources yet, but I have to tell you that there are few freshwater books available. Books for FISHING yes, but for ID/Naturalist purposes? No.

So far I have only found one: Peterson Field Guides "Freshwater Fishes" by Lawrence Page/Brooks Burr. It is the one I have been using to teach U/W Naturalist or AWARE Fish ID in fresh water. (I also use a Golden Press book on Freshwater Ecosystems, but I'll not get into that here.)

Maybe we can appeal to people on the board to be on the lookout for a better source, either in print or online?

Hmm... I think I'll post something on one of the other, more approrpiate forums & see what develops.

TTFN,

~SubMariner~