Komodo in January | January 2012 Trip Report
Komodo in January? Oh yes! Imagine Cannibal Rock with blue water…all the colors, all the fish, none of the green water. Our second cruise on the luxurious Dive Damai II to Komodo proved to be another great success. Most operators shy away from Komodo in the wintertime. Previously, when we managed Kararu’s boats, we spent quite a bit of time in the area during December & January and remembered it being quite impressive with great visibility and critters in the southern parts of the park.
After a few days of amazing critter diving from Villa Markisa in Bali, our cruise began with some amazing dives in Wainilu, a spot we have always found to be good for frogfish, starry night octopus, and spanish dancers. Waking up to islands that had turned a stunning shade of green since September we headed over to Batu Bolong. Drifting into the blue waters of the lee side we were greeted by a manta ray and schooling fish. A stopover at Pulau Makassar led to another few manta encounters. That afternoon we joined Garry Bevan, Cruise Director on Damai II, for an “easy climb” (that’s the Queen’s English for a climb up a steep hill in the hot sun) up to the top of Gili Lawa Darat for stunning views of Rinca & Komodo Islands.
Usually a good site for the Nembrotha purpolineolata nudibranch in summertime, W-Reef and Pillarsteen off the island of Padar turned out to be wide-angle highlights with crystal clear vis that made the rock formations that give the site its name really stand out. In addition to the wide-angle sites, the reef also gave us giant frogfish, harlequin shrimps, stonefish, and Phil & Brenda’s first blue-ring octopus of the trip. A night dive at Pasir Putih gave us mating frogfish as well.
Despite excellent conditions at Manta Alley in Langkoi, south Komodo, only fleeting glimpses of mantas were had. The next stop was Horseshoe Bay, the main event for the cruise.
Horseshoe Bay is famous for the amazing colors, rich coral reefs, numbers & species of fish, amazing critters and Komodo Dragons on the beach and it did not disappoint. At this time of year, the Indian Ocean clears up to a beautiful blue from its normally green hue but still retains all its wonders. The dives at Rodeo Rock were a highlight with anthias, amazing colored soft corals, and wide open cup corals making for some excellent photo-ops.
Not to be outdone by the diving, Garry brought the more adventurous passengers to the beach to mount their cameras on his homemade “pole-cam” to get up and personal with the reptilian inhabitants of Komodo Island. The critter rich dives at Torpedo Alley and Cannibal Rock gave us even more frogfish, innumerable nudibranchs, octopus of various species, and crustaceans galore.
After 5 days in Horseshoe Bay (everyone wanted to stay longer!) we stopped by Gili Motang to find Kerri’s favorite Ceratosoma sinuata nudibranch and Val’s first Blue-Ring Octopus. We then headed north stopping by Padar on the way to Little Slice of Heaven and The Mingeler on Gili Lawa Laut. The final dives of the trip were at Fuzzy Bottom, the stellar critter dive in Bima Bay, finishing up the cruise with multiple species of octopus, 5 species of frogfish, blue ring octopus, and loads of nudibranchs.
We said our goodbyes to the boat in Bima, flying back to Bali. We would like to thank all our guests for joining us and the Damai II for taking such good care of us all! We’ll be back to Komodo in September of 2013 aboard the Indo Siren for back-to-back 10 night cruises! Check out the expeditions section of our website for more details. To see more images from Komodo, check out the Image Galleries.
We can’t get enough Komodo! – September 2011 Trip Report
It’s hard not to love Komodo, especially after a trip like we just had. With 8 of our Guests, we embarked on the inaugural cruise aboard the boutique luxury liveaboard the Damai II from the port of Bima on Sumbawa, just outside of Komodo National Park. Our cruise took us through 12 days of an incredible mix of black & white sand muck diving, fish swarmed pinnacles, and coral covered reefs with the occasional Mantas and sharks making cameo appearances. Having spent almost three seasons in Komodo during our time as Cruise Directors, we were anxious to return and see how some of our favorite dive spots again.
Bima
We started the trip in Bima on the island of Sumabwa, which has gained notoriety lately as a premier muck diving spot. At the aptly named “fuzzy bottom” we experienced all sorts of macro goodness, ranging from octopus to frogfishes, nudibranchs, and a over 6 stone fish within a few square meters. On one dive, veteran Lembeh dive guide Jhoe spotted an unusual octopus which we are in the process of identifying!
Sangeang
From Bima we headed north to the picturesque Volcano Island of Sangeang. While “Bubble Reef” is known for the bubbles that escape the underwater volcanic black sand slopes, it was the fish life that really caught our eye. The reef was literally covered with a blanket of small anthias and other similar species. At “Black Magic”, “Tikno Reef” and the always amazing “Bontoh” Night Dive, we were treated to frogfish, boxer crabs, a huge variety of nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, and toezuma shrimp.
Gili Lawa
The next two days were spent within Komodo National Park itself, diving the dynamic duo of islands Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat (literally the “Island that faces the sea” and the “Island that faces the land”). The renowned pinnacles of “Hard to Find” and “Easy to Find Rock” were bursting with schooling jacks, surgeonfish, and enormous schools of fusiliers. The grey and white tip reef sharks even made some deeper appearances, as did several large napoleon wrasse. In the passage between the two islands, known by us as “The Mingler” when we worked in the area, we were welcomed by Mantas at sunset and gorgeous orange softcorals.
Tatawa Besar
From Gili Lawa we swung by the island of Tatawa Besar to drift the healthy reefs of “Little Slice of Heaven” and spend some quality time with the turtles there. For those looking to see some of the resident Dragons, we took to shore at the Rinca Ranger Station at “Loh Buaya”. For those less inclined, we also dove the white sand muck of “Wainilu”, one of our favorites during our time in Komodo during previous years. With multiple different species of frogfish, a spanish dancer, bobtail squid, and cream colored halimeda ghostpipefish, Wainilu did not disappoint.
Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay, named for the shape created by the juxtaposition of Nusa Kode and Rinca Islands is home to the world-renowned dive site of “Cannibal Rock”, as well as the equally amazing “Yellow Wall of Texas”, “Torpedo Alley”, and “Rodeo Rock”. We spent the better part of two and a half days in Horseshoe Bay, being taken by surprise with the sunny skies and clear “not very cold” water (not really common this time of year as it lies in the Indian Ocean). Cannibal Rock is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world for good reason. It is so thick with life, there is no shortage of macro subjects and wide angle setups. “Rodeo Rock” and “Yellow Wall” both gave us stunning dives as well with a Blue Ring Octopus and fish, fish, fish.
Gili Motang
With conditions unusually calm and sunny, we decided to venture out to nearby Gili Motang, the third island in the park that is home to the Dragons. Thanks to Cruise Director Garry’s wealth of experience, we managed to have a solid macro dive that yielded multiple stunning nudibranchs, including the ever-popular “MiaMira” or Ceratosoma sinuata.
Batu Bolong
The last dive within Komodo National Park was at “Batu Bolong”, a set of rocks jutting out of the water between Komodo and Rinca Islands. “Batu Bolong” requires precise timing, due to the strong currents that can easily take you to depths and places you don’t want to go. Luckily, again with Garry’s expertise, we timed it just right. The result was nothing short of a stellar experience. The rock greeted us with unparalleled amounts of anthias and fusiliers, impeccably pristine hard corals and cup corals, and a crystal clear visibility.
Thanks & Join us in 2013 for Raja Ampat & Komodo!
We look forward to being back aboard the Damai II and back in Komodo in January 2012. Thanks to the crew and to all our Guests for making it a remarkable trip. We’ll be back in Komodo, as well as Raja Ampat, in 2013 with both the Arenui and the Indo Siren Liveabaords. Check out our website for schedules, photos, and availability!
Shooting Blue Ring Octopus
Its deadly venom has been the murder weapon in everything from a James Bond movie to numerous novels and even an NCIS episode. The idea that an animal the size of a golf ball can kill us is intriguing. Add to that this little cephalopods shear beauty and it’s no wonder this octopus tops almost everyone’s critter “wish list”.
Description:
Blue ringed octopus are in the group known as benthic or bottom-dwelling octopus as they live and forage on the ocean floor. There are believed to be at least 10 different species of blue-ring octopus. These different species vary not only in size, coloration, and geographic distribution, but also in the shape and size of rings themselves. The species blamed most often for injuring people is the larger lesser or southern blue-ring octopus (H. maculosa ) found in southern and western Australia. However, the greater blue-ring (H. lunulata) and so-called “midring” species (h. sp.4) will be the subject of this article as they are common here in Indonesia.The distinction between “lesser” and “greater” is due to the size of their rings relative to each other, the “greater” having the larger diameter rings while actually being smaller in overall stature. The two common Indonesian species, the midring and H. lunulata are similar in size and coloring, but the rings of the midring are of a slightly smaller diameter. Both of these little bundles-of-venom weigh in at a mere 15 grams and measure just 7cm from tip to tentacle tip. They are masters of camouflage until threatened, their body having a brownish yellow color at rest, with the namesake rings barely visible. In addition, a rough texture is provided by their small skin-flap appendages or papillae.
Once disturbed, the 25 iridescent blue rings spread over the mantle and tentacles come alive, warning the intruder of the stupidity of their impending action. Most species of blue-ring do not have ink glands, relying instead on their venom for defense. These little octopuses actually carry two types of venom in separate venom glands, one that they use on their prey (crustaceans) and the other for self defense. The venom of the blue ruing octopus is a combination of macula and tetrodotxoin (also called TTX), formed by commensurate bacteria living in the gland, which causes paralysis. One blue-ring octopus contains enough venom to kill 26 adult humans. It’s unclear how the toxin is delivered, either by secreting the toxin-containing saliva into the water close to the prey or via biting it with their parrot-like beak.
Location: Indo-pacific, with the species H. lunulata and H. sp.4 (midring) being found mostly in Indonesia, the Philippines, and PNG
Depth: generally inhabit coral reefs and rubble slopes from 40m+ to shallow tidal areas.
Behavior:
The blue-ring octopus is a solitary and territorial animal, living in coral rubble holes. The octopus generally only leaves to hunt or find amaze. Using its tentacles as “feet” it slips across the reef, using its coloration to blend in and surprise prey. The prey of choice are crustaceans. After poisoning the surpassed crab or shrimp, they wait for the venom to take effect before using their beak to devour their prey. In addition to seeking out food, the octopus will also venture out to find a mate. Males will approach a female, stroking them with their modified mating tentacle – the hectocotylus. Unlike most octopus which mate from a distance, the male will then climb on the females back inserting the mating tentacle under the mantle and depositing his spermatophores. Shortly thereafter the male dies and the female lays its clutch of 20-100 eggs which it must carry around for 30-50 days. The female cannot eat while carrying eggs and dies shortly after the pea-sized babies hatch. The average lifespan of a blue-ring is two years.
Equipment Tips:
Blue-ring octopus are extremely small (<7cm tip-to-tip), macro or super-macro equipment is definitely recommended. As they are bottom dwelling, the use of a muck stick is highly recommended to avoid stirring up sediment and preventing accidental contact with the octopus. In order to bring out the colors of the rings, a flash of some sort is recommended.
DSLR:
Both these species of blue-ring octopus are small, less than 7cm tip to tip and they are easily spooked. A 100/105mm lens will give this octopus a little more breathing room and allow you to maintain a good working distance. If eggs are present, a super-macro setup such as a teleconverter, extension tube, or wet mate diopter may be useful. Try to fill the frame as much as possible as these critters are rarely found on interesting backgrounds and tend to blend well.
Compact Cameras:
The macro setting will yield better results for shooting these small octopuses. A wet-mate diopter may be recommended depending on the size of the specimen, especially if eggs are present.
Underwater Photo Tips:
The Blender:
The octopuses are very successful at blending with their background. Even when displaying their namesake’s iridescent blue rings, the rest of the body is still the same color as the rubble strewn background. By using strong shadows or Bokeh, you can pull the subject from it’s backdrop. The octopus will also sometimes perch itself atop pieces of coral rubble or swim short distances mid-water. If this opportunity presents itself, try shooting at a horizontal or slightly upward angle, avoiding the top-down angle.
Patience:
Octopus are very intelligent creatures, they know you are there. The best way to get a blue-ring active is to watch and wait from a meter or two away. Once they determine you are not a predator they will generally resume the activity they left their home for. Prepare your camera and strobes before approaching the octopus. Shoot a few test frames of surrounding rubble to fine tune your strobe position and exposure as the color of the octopus will be fairly similar. Once you move toward the octopus to take the photo, it will generally begin flashing its warning colors. This may not last very long, hence the rationale of getting your strobe position and exposure down before approaching. Focus on the eyes. Depending on the perspective try to get either the mantle or a few tentacles in the plane of focus to make it clear what you are taking a picture of. As with most macro subjects, it may not be readily obvious to a novice or non-diver what the subject is. By having at least one eye and either the mantle or a few tentacles in focus the viewer is more likely to recognize the subject.
resources:
“Blue-ringed Octopus, Hapalochlaena maculosa at MarineBio.org”. MarineBio.org. Saturday, June 26, 2010, from <http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=403>.
Norman, M., Debelius, H. 2000. Cephalopods – A World Guide, Conchbooks, Germany. 319 p.
Ray, K. 2000. “Hapalochlaena lunulata” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 25, 2010 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Hapalochlaena_lunulata.html.
Light & Motion Sola 600 Review
“It’s so….small!” These were the first words that came out of my mouth upon receiving Light & Motion’s newest focus light, the Sola 600, for testing. At just 2.5″ in diameter and 4″ long and a mere 245 grams, the Sola is impressively small. The performance, on the other hand, is anything but.
Intended Use:
The Sola 600 is a focus & video light that provides a 75o flood beam of either 679 lumens of 7100oK white light from 6 LEDs or 225 lumens of “critter friendly” red light from 4 LEDs. The aim of a focus light is to assist the camera’s autofocus in low-light or nighttime conditions. It can also function as a spotting light for night dives, eliminating the need to carry a separate primary torch. We have tested this light in true “muck” conditions, putting it through its paces for two weeks here in Lembeh Strait. Here are our findings.
Initial Overview:
What you get:
Out of the box, the Sola is ready to go. It comes in a handy zippered cordura pouch that fits both the light and its charger – gone are the days of forgetting your charger when packing for a dive trip. The light itself is completely factory sealed and tested, there is no need for the user to open the light.
Charging:
Charging is accomplished through a “wet-port” on the back of the light, similar to those used by other manufacturers like Hartenberger and Kowalski. The beauty of the Sola’s charging port is the incorporation of a “guide hole” on the light and corresponding metal peg on the charger head that prevent accidental reverse polarization. Visual feedback is key when charging, and the Sola provides it via indicator LEDs on both the light itself and the charger. The charger is extremely compact and supports the full range of 110-220V, a must when traveling abroad.
Burn Time & Brightness:
The “white” LEDs have three power settings versus a single setting for the “red”. Advertised burn times range between a reasonable 75 minutes on high power to an impressive 300 minutes on the lowest “white” setting and 200 minutes on the single “red” setting. The charge level and brightness level are both indicated by the array of three LED indicator lights on top. The brightness level is indicated by the number of indicator LEDs lit, 1 being low, 3 being high. The charge level is shown by the color of the indicator LEDs: green = 100-75%, yellow = 75-50%, red = 50-25%, blinking = <25% remaining. So for example, if two indicator LEDs are lit and they are displaying yellow you would be on the medium “white”power or single “red” setting with 75-50% of the battery remaining.
Switches:
Switching the light on and off, as well as adjusting brightness & switching between red & white light, is accomplished by a single magnetic slider switch atop the light. The slider is spring loaded and will always return to the neutral “middle” position. By sliding the switch towards the rear of the light the red LEDs are engaged. Moving the slider forward will activate, or switch to, the white setting. By repeatedly moving the switch forward the intensity of the white light is varied throughout the three power settings. Holding the switch either forward or back for 2 seconds will shut off the light. To prevent accidental activation, turning the slider 90o in the neutral position will lock it in place.
Our Impressions:
Setup:
As the light came “ready to use” from the factory, all we had to do was charge it and put it on the housing. Charging was a breeze. The offset charger does require an “end space” on a surge protector (an issue when traveling to places with limited charging space), but it is still fairly compact and lightweight. The metal guide peg and complimentary curvature of the charger head and light body prevent accidental reverse polarization. We mounted the light on our DSLR housing in the hot-shoe position using the ultralight adapter furnished by ScubaCam in Singapore. The adapter screws into the removable mounting base, which also has a removable lanyard attachment. This means that there are no dynamic threaded holes on the light itself, which is a nice feature as these tend to be difficult to rinse and the first to corrode. The light comes with a loc-line adapter but that can easily be changed with an allen-key.
The factory sealed nature of the light has both advantages and drawbacks. On the one hand you don’t need to worry about o-rings and leaking. On the other hand, you cannot bring an extra battery/batteries for your light on your trip. The quick charging capabilities of the Sola, however, almost negates the need to bring a spare battery. Charging between dives is a breeze, just blow out the contacts and plug in the charger. With a run times that will easily last two dives and a swift two hour charge time, throwing it on the charger over lunchtime will easily allow for another few dives worth of battery time for the afternoon. From complete discharge it took a little over two hours, but the battery is memory-free and can be easily topped off between dives. During our testing the burn times for the light were pretty much right on; worth a mention though, on the lowest white power setting the light lasted almost 6 hours (longer than advertised)!
The light itself is extremely low profile and rarely got in the way of the strobe arms while maneuvering them for a shot. In addition it did not obstruct our 45o viewfinder, both common problems with larger focus lights. The light, although negatively buoyant, did little to affect the overall buoyancy characteristics, at least no more so than any other comparable focus lights we have ever used. Maneuvering the light underwater is a simple operation. Due to its small mass, the ultralight butterfly clamp could be kept fairly loose, allowing easy movement of the light while still holding it steady.
Use:
Daytime:
The primary daytime use of the light was to assist the autofocus of the camera. In about 80% of situations we found the red-light to be the most helpful. Not only is the red beam bright enough to assist with focus, it also seems to be less stressful to the animals. The white light was used mostly for spotting during the day, with the medium setting being more than enough light, even on a cloudy day or in poor visibility. Again, the beam pattern and distance of the light were more than satisfactory. The beam pattern is extremely even and wide reaching. We used both a 60mm and 105mm on an APS-C sensor DSLR and found the range of the beam to be more than satisfactory in all cases.
The red light does not seem to leave any “hot-spots”, even when shooting at fairly low apertures and shutter speeds. The beam is uniformly red, there are no chromatic aberrations a the edges as there tends to be with flip down or other external filters. Variable power settings for the red would be nice, but the fixed power setting seemed to be bright enough to assist with focusing, but no so bright as to disturb the critters.
Nightime:
The initial evening we used the light, we went for a Mandarin Fish dive, as this has commonly been the litmus test for a “red” focus light. The light performed as desired. The beam strength and distance were good enough to allow for focusing on the fish with a 105mm lens, yet not so bright as to discourage them from their “ritual”. The wide beam provided an excellent tool as well for the initial spotting and “hoping” phase of the dive.
For night diving we used the Sola as our primary spotting light. At its brightest “white” setting, the Sola rivals many of the compact video lights, putting out an even, broad beam. The lower two settings were more than enough for critter spotting and navigation. Upon spotting a subject, a quick flick of the switch and we were plunged into red and ready to shoot. The switch on the light is easy to use, even in the dark. The indicator LEDs provide important setting and charge information right on the top of the light. With only one switch controlling all the functions, there is no fumbling around to find the right knob or dial. The instant switching between red and white will spoil even the most seasoned shooter.
The lockout function of the switch is accomplished by turning the dial 90o either left or right when it is in the neutral position. The only drawback to the switch is it is constructed of smooth molded plastic. On occasion, this causes your finger to slip off the switch once it reaches the limits. A textured surface would allow for a more controlled movement of the switch. Another potential issue of the switch mechanism is sand or silt disrupting the slide. After two weeks of diving in Lembeh, often in extremely silty conditions, the switch never became obstructed, however, special attention was paid to this area when rinsing the light.
Overall the Sola 600 is a pleasure to use. Offering both red and white LEDs in a compact package eliminates the need for complicated external filters or even using two lights. Long burn times and short charging cycles ensure the light can keep up with a full dive day. By keeping everything from the function switch to the sealed battery compartment simple and functional, Light & Motion has made a compact focus light that will appeal to both demanding and recreational macro-enthusiasts alike.
PROS:
- dedicated red and white LEDs in one light
- compact size & weight, easy to travel with
- sealed, memory-free battery & well designed external charging point
- removable mounting base
- simple magnetic switch
CONS:
- sealed battery (also a pro)
- no variable red power settings
- slippery switch surface curvature
Snoots in Lembeh
For the last few months we have been experimenting with snooting here in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. The black-sand bottom-dwellers crave the spotlight effect that the snoot offers, tearing them from their oh-so-drab backdrop and putting them front and center in an image. Granted, not every subject is “snootable” and the ratio of junk to good images after a dive is definitely rather high. However, the images that do turn out definitely make all the hard work, missed opportunities (you are fairly locked in when snooting to a certain subject type), and frustration worthwhile. For us, the snoot offered a new way to shoot our favorite critters. Below are some of our favorite snoot images from the past few weeks as well as a brief description of the snoot technique employed.
Blue Ring Octopus:
This particular blue ring octopus was perfectly happy to have me follow him around while he searched for a crustacean to chomp on. At one point he must have spotted his reflection in my port because he started swimming right towards it. Luckily I had already gotten a few shots off so the exposure and snoot position were already set. What makes this image special is the contrast of those bright blue rings against the midnight background, making the subject really stand out. For this shot, the strobe is positioned above and in-line with the lens, aimed slightly down for a true spotlight effect.
Hairy Frogfish:
The hairy frogfish is a master of disguise, his filamentous skin flaps making him blend right in with the algae patches he inhabits. The majority of shots don’t make it readily obvious what is being photographed. This willing subject was walking downhill allowing me to shoot at an upward angle, which is always nice. Using the snoot to highlight only his head and body, the resulting image gives the viewer a real sense of what this elusive bottom-dweller’s expressive face really looks like. The strong shadows of the single strobe also bring out the algae-like hairs around his chin and mouth.
Janolus Nudibranch:
When I found this nudibranch he was being attacked by some angry bronze sweepers. In an attempt to defend himself, he curled himself into a perfect pose for a picture. The contrast of the serrata with the black background really brings out the yellows that would otherwise be lost with a sandy backdrop. By having the snoot perpendicular to the ground and just above the edge of the frame, the circle of light is contained within the images borders.
Robust Ghost Pipefish:
A challenging subject without a snoot, this proved to be one of the more frustrating images to capture. I placed the snoot below the plane of the lens and off to the right. I then tipped the camera at a 30-45o angle so the light was slightly from below the subject. With the ghost pipefish swaying back in forth in the moderate swell, it took quite awhile to get him lined up with the snoot. Whenever the strobe is at or below the horizon there is also the potential for “blowing-out” the sand in front of the strobe. By using the snoot, this problem is significantly reduced due to the constrained nature of the beam.
Mantis Shrimp:
This relatively small yellow mantis was entranced by the focus light coming from the barrel of the snoot, making it a willing and cooperative subject. The resulting image is easy to anthropomorphize as the crustaceans compound eyes stare up at the light. The combination of the shrimp’s bright color and it’s perfect pose made this an interesting shot. The snoot was positioned directly above the subject and just out of the frame to keep the diameter of the spotlight fairly small.
Seahorse:
Many seahorses have extremely translucent exoskeletons, lending them well to backlighting. Adding a snoot to the mix leads to a nice silhouette with a little bit of color bleeding through. For this shot, Kerri held the strobe off the housing (still connected by sync cord) while I took the shot. The result is a clean backlight shot without the normal backscatter, halo, or visible strobe flash. In addition the aiming light from the strobe caused the Seahorse to turn away from the strobe and into the camera.
Snake Eel & Shrimp:
Luckily, these guys were on a small plateau of a steep slope, allowing me to approach from down slope and shoot up. The goal of this shot was to really bring out the shrimp by placing them against a strong black backdrop, removing the distraction of a blurry sandy slope. By keeping the strobe at a slight angle off the vertical and close to the top of the frame, the circle of light surrounding the eel is quite small but the face of the eel is still exposed.
Warty Frogfish:
Had this picture been taken with a typical key and fill type strobe arrangement, the camouflage abilities of the frogfish would have overpowered the image. By using the snoot’s spotlight effect, the subject is clearly visible, aided by the carpet of green algae beneath him. The resulting image gives a feeling of catching the frogfish by surprise in what he believed to be a pretty good hiding spot. In this shot, the strobe & snoot were pushed out past the font of the camera and aimed down at a 45o angle just outside the upper right corner of the image allowing the entire rock to fit in the frame.
Ornate Ghost Pipefish:
The strong white and pink coloration of this pipefish actually make it a great “non-snoot” subject, as it naturally stands out from a dark sand background. However, the aim of this image was to focus on the amazing color pattern and the filamentous “spikes” of it’s outline. By placing the strobe at a slight angle off the horizontal, I was able to light the body from brood pouch to snout, but still get that strong silhouette. The tail fading into the background lends a bit of motion into an otherwise passive image as well.
Porcelain Crab:
In this shot, the strobe was placed parallel to the horizon, slightly below the plane of the lens, and off to the right hand side. The resulting image is one of isolation on what is actually a very busy anemone. The side lighting also brings out the colors of the transparent anemone tentacles and the crab’s feeding arms, showing off their color and texture. As with any crab image, it was important to keep at least one eye and one claw in focus to convey the subject to the viewer.
Rhinopias:
It is primarily the excellent camouflage of the Rhinopias that puts it at the top of everyones’ wish-list. As with the hairy frogfish the snoot allows the detail in this amazing creatures’ outline to stand out. For this image, I waited for the fish to begin to it’s duck-like walk across the bottom, at which point the dorsal spines are extended and the pectoral fins are on full display. This combined with his slight head-tilt towards the camera lends the image a nice perspective. With this image, the snoot was pulled back and powered-up quite a bit to open up the circle of light to encompass the whole animal. A slight tilting of the strobe away from the vertical plane lights up the face and side in addition to the silhouette.
Chromodoris Nudibranch:
Although I’ve swam past these nudibranch’s hundreds of times and haven’t taken a picture of one in years, what made me stop this time was the white outline of the mantle combined with its precarious position on the edge of a bommie. The one rhinophore standing alone against the black background and the white mantle framing the body really makes this image for me. Shooting at a strong upward angle and using a small-bore snoot held just outside the frame give this ordinary nudibranch a new look.
Mimic Octopus:
Often times in a mimic octopus shot, the focus is on the behavior, yet the color patterns and expressiveness of their “faces” are often overlooked. This image was captured while the mimic was going from a static position to impersonating a flounder. The circle of light draws the viewer’s attention away from the arms and into the octopus’ eyes and the beautiful patterns of it’s displays. For this shot the snoot was out past the front of the lens and aimed almost directly down from just outside the frame.
Coleman Shrimp:
With all the color of a fire urchin, the coleman shrimp are harder to identify as the subject when not shot at higher magnifications. In this image, the goal was to show a bit more of these tiny crustaceans’ habitat and their size relative to it. This was a fairly simple shot to accomplish and a good practice subject for someone just starting out with a snoot as these urchins and their inhabitants tend to be fairly sessile (or at least very slow moving). The strobe was just above the camera and out of the right corner of the frame, lighting more of the shrimp and less of the urchin spines in front of them.
Summary:
It seems that most people either love or hate the snoot (and the resulting images) but it is undeniably an interesting way to shoot your favorite critters. Although it is not a new technique, the instant review capabilities of digital are making it a more common practice. With complex systems involving adjustable width beams and flexible light pipes, the future is bright for underwater snooting. To find out more about the technique, read Keri Wilk’s technique article. To see some possible Close Focus Wide Angle applications, check out our other article here as well. Just remember, the trick to capturing great snoot images is to be patient and picture the image in your mind before approaching the subject.
Shooting Mimic Octopus:
Description:
The mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) was first discovered in 1998, here in Sulawesi. The mimic is a bottom dwelling octopus that is found on sandy slopes between 2 and 12 meters and has an arm span of about 60cm. T. mimicus stands out from its fellow benthic octopuses in that is seems to “mimic” the appearance and behavior of poisonous or noxious animals that share its habitat, hence its name. Varying its color pattern, body posture, and movements, this bottom dwelling octopus tends to impersonate a variety of flat fish, lion fish, anemones, mantis shrimp, and even sea snakes. Observations of several individuals over several weeks have even led researchers to believe that the mimic is capable of deciding which type of animal to mimic based on their particular surroundings at that moment.1 By impersonation these distasteful or harmful animals allows the mimic to forage the sandy slopes of its habitat during the daytime, in full view of predators, looking for crabs or shrimp burrowed in the sand. Other cephalopods use their coloring to camouflage themselves until predator has passed, blending into their background by assuming the same color and texture of coral, rocks, or rubble. The mimic moves along the sandy slopes, using one of its tentacles to probe holes and tunnels for potential prey. As a last resort, the mimic may also completely enter a burrow to escape a predator (or an overzealous photographer), tunneling through the sand and emerging away from the point of entry. At night the mimic seems to stay hidden in the sand, often occupying the same spot for a few days in a row.
Mimic Octopus:
I’m not sure how many mimic octopus I have seen here in Lembeh. The reason isn’t that I’ve lost count or don’t know what a mimic octopus looks like. The reason is the mimicry itself. My peripheral vision automatically blocks certain things out – lionfish, small stingrays, flying gurnards, etc. These animals are “background noise” to the experienced muck diver (not to say they don’t make for nice shots) meaning I’m sure I’ve missed more than a few encounters. The mimic octopus is definitely high up on every visitor to Lembeh’s critter wish list. One of the many interesting things about mimics, is their dynamic presence, you never know what they are going to do next. Capturing a good mimic image can be challenging for the same reasons that make animal so sought-after.
Equipment – DSLR:
Having shot mimics with both macro and wide angle equipment, it comes down to preference. With an arm span of up to 60cm, the subject is definitely big enough to be shot with a wide angle zoom lens, or even a close focus wide angle setup like a tele-converted fisheye. The main consideration when choosing the lens should be the type of shot you would like to have. If you are focusing on behavior or environment, perhaps a wider angle lens is desirable, whereas close-ups of their patterns and features may warrant a macro lens. It is possible to shoot their behavior with a macro lens, but stronger strobes and clearer water conditions may be necessary to get good results. A 60mm or 50mm lens seems the most versatile at getting both close-up and behavioral shots, yet does require getting closer to the octopus, increasing the chance that it may spook and hide.
Equipment – Compact:
Compact cameras often capture some exceptional mimic images, as they have the ability to go wide or macro as the behavior of the mimic changes. The macro mode should definitely be used to capture close-up images of the octopus, yet may not be necessary for some of the mimicry behavioral shots such as impersonating stingrays or lionfish.
Ligthing:
A flash is a must for shooting mimics, as their skin tone is similar to that of the surroundings. In addition, the use of shadow is essential in many situations to bring the animal out from it’s background in the image. Snoots or other creative lighting techniques may also help separate the animal from it’s bland surroundings.
Shooting Mimics:
Hide and Seek:
The most essential piece of equipment when setting out to shoot mimics is an excellent spotter. The spotter’s task is not as simple as finding the octopus. The hunt for the mimic begins by carefully swimming over big empty sandy slopes (exciting!). Once the guide spots a mimic he will stop the group before they get within a few meters of the animal (hopefully!). Here in Lembeh, our guides carry a modified “muck stick” that is about one meter long that they use specifically for “enticing” octopus. Most mimics are found in or near a hole in the sand. Having spotted a mimic, the guide will extend the long muck stick, keeping it very close to the ground, towards the octopus, stopping just short of their hole. They then stir up the sand, just as a burrowing crab would do. This disturbance is like catnip to a mimic, they can’t resist. The mimic will usually exit the hole and inspect the disturbance. At this point, the guides will begin to move the guests towards the mimic (slowly!).
Manic Mimics:
Mimics (like most octopus) seesaw between bursts of speed and sitting for minutes at a time without moving. As a shooter you must have patience. Use those moments of rest to examine your previous shots and adjust your exposure. The mimic has a strong color contrast with alternating brown and white bands that they can vary in intensity, making the choosing of settings a crapshoot. I choose to base my exposure upon their most brilliant display (full white stripes), as this seems to also make for the most striking images. As with other cephalopods, it is important for the eye of the animal to be in focus to make a coherent image.
Shadows and Angles:
The octopus can also turn itself a rubbly light-brown when it performs some of its mimicry, making it appear similar to other benthic octopus species such as the long-arm or veined. Although their behavior is interesting in these “states of mimicry”, often times their color scheme is less than exciting which can pose a lighting challenge. By increasing the power differential between your strobes, or simply using one strobe to create strong shadows, it is easier to make the mimic stand out from its background. Getting as low as possible to the sand will also improve your chances of creating an image that “pops”.
Avalanche Divers:
As mentioned above, the mimic may decide to take off, speeding across the sandy flats. Being able to follow the animal without causing an avalanche of sand is critical, since when you stop, the avalanche might not, surrounding you (and everyone else) in a cloud of sand. Proper muck-stick use and frog-kicking are all ways that can help you maintain a sand-free shooting environment.
Give ‘em Room:
As with any animal, if they feel threatened, they will flee or fight. Since the mimic is not known for its lethality towards photographers, it flees. This usually means finding the nearest hole and disappearing. By giving the mimic a sufficiently wide berth, you can help insure they won’t disappear completely. If you’re lucky, they will instead use that hole as a “base of mimicry” pretending to be either a mantis shrimp, anemone, or snake eel. As with any octopus, swimming directly over the top of them may cause them to retreat completely into their hole. Instead, stay off to the side and try to remain as motionless as possible. Octopus are smart animals (anyone remember the 2010 World Cup?) and if they realize you are not a threat or a hindrance to their feeding, they may choose to ignore you and go about their business with you around. By giving them sufficient room to feel comfortable, you may be able to put the octopus at ease to your presence, allowing you to stay longer with your subject and get better results.
Threesomes are OK:
More than one shooter can photograph the same mimic at the same time. The variety of interesting angles and perspectives that can be done with mimics means that there is no one “right way” to shoot them (as opposed to say Pygmy Seahorses, which would be challenging have multiple people shoot at the same time and achieve acceptable results). In general, you are further away from the subject and it is constantly in motion. As always, be aware of you’re subjects state – if it seems overwhelmed or trapped, back off, let it recover before shooting it further, if at all.
Resources:
- 1 Mark D. Norman, Julian Finn, and Tom Tregenza “Dynamic mimicry in an Indo–Malayan octopus” Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B September 7, 2001 268:1755-1758; doi:10.1098/rspb.2001.1708
Norman, M.D. 2000 Cephalopods: A World Guide. Hackenheim, Germany: Conchbooks.
CFWA & Snoots: a new look at macro photography
Close Focus Wide Angle (hereafter CFWA) is nothing new. Living & working in Lembeh Strait I have seen my fair share of amazing images from various shooters using this technique. There is an abundance of “medium sized” macro subjects here, such as octopus and the larger frogfish, that seem to lend themselves to it. But how to bring that subject out from the generally bland Lembeh background? Awhile back, I started experimenting with Snooting, placing PVC tubes (don’t laugh, remember I live in Lem-beh, not L-A) of various diameters over the strobe face to focus down the beam, creating a spotlight effect. Combining CFWA and single-strobe snooting seemed an ideal way to highlight the macro subject by not only focusing the attention of the viewer on the highlighted subject, but also creating the necessary contrast to make that subject stand out from the black-sand background. This same highlighting effect could of course be achieved with just a standard macro lens and a snoot. However, combining this effect with CFWA seems to give the viewer a sense of the environment that these subjects inhabit as well. By using CFWA you can also incorporate a diver or the reef horizon into the shot while keeping the focus on the the macro subject. Combining CFWA with Snooting presents several unique challenges for both technique and equipment, but can yield unique and artistic results.
The Glass:
In terms of Lenses and Ports, CFWA is achieved by using an ultra-wide lens, such as a Nikon 10.5mm fisheye, paired with a teleconverter, usually a 1.4x or 2x. This lens combination is still housed in a dome port. For some housings, a special “mini-dome” may be an option. If not, don’t lose hope. The advantage of these “mini-domes” is the ability to get a lower angle on your subject, allowing you to shoot at more of upward angle, catching that reef horizon or diver in your shot. It also helps you get closer, especially if there are obstructions such as rocks or coral. A normal dome is fine, it will just limit the range of subjects you can shoot effectively.
The Snoot:
Several options exist for creating a snoot, but the easiest and cheapest one involves taking a trip to the hardware store and experimenting with various combinations of PVC piping. DPG recently posted an extensive article by Keri Wilk on the physics and construction of Snoots which I will not even attempt to paraphrase here. Suffice it to say the desired application determines the width of the beam. With CFWA, I find that a 2″ or 1″ opening is sufficient for my Sea&Sea YS-250s with a Nikon 10.5mm and 1.4x/2x teleconverter combo to get the desired effect.
The Technique:
The principle technique for CFWA is fairly straight forward, get really really close. To truly get the full benefit, you must be extremely close, in some instances almost touching the subject. Getting that close to otherwise skittish macro subjects is challenging enough, adding a giant dome port makes it all the more fun. Lighting a subject that is nearly touching your dome with a normal strobe setup is actually quite simple. Place your strobes close to the dome, making sure that your beam overlap is directly in front of the dome (diffusers help a lot). Dome shades can make this a challenge and may be removed, but this adds dramatically to the chance of damage to your dome. Adjust your strobe position to avoid hots-spots in the corners of your image, moving them vertically and tilting them down as necessary. To find out more about CFWA techniques consult Alex Mustard’s very thorough previous posting on the subject.
Snooting involves numerous challenges, not the least of which is having to endure the stares and chuckles of your fellow divers as you carry your homemade rig to the boat. Once in the water, where the stares continue, the real fun begins. You are now no longer lighting everything in front of the dome, you have essentially limited yourself to a small circle directly in front of the camera. Getting this circle of light onto the subject is not necessarily as easy as it sounds. To get things going, I use the focus light of the strobe to get a general idea of where my light will land. I then take a test shot of the most abundant subject in Lembeh, sand. Any deviation from a perfectly vertical strobe position will cause the light to fall off to one side or the other, which is fine if that is the desired effect. The vertical distance of the strobe from the subject/camera will of course widen or narrow the beam (if you don’t have wet-mate snoot extensions to do it without moving the strobe). I then meter the water to get the proper exposure for any backgrounds that might contain “blue-water” and/or a diver.
Now the easy part, follow one of our extremely talented guides until a subject presents itself. First, I look at the subject and mentally compose my shot. I then move my strobe/snoot combo to the position required to get the desired effect. Shoot, review, and re-shoot until you get the desired shot or you run out of bottom time, whichever comes first.
Tips:
Get a good set of strobe arms that are easy to manipulate as you will be constantly moving your strobe. Make sure they are long enough as the snoot adds a few inches to the front of the strobe. I use my 8″ wide-angle set to get the distance I want.
Make sure when you review your photos to back away from the subject first, as you may hit the subject if you try to push your camera out in front of you to look at the LCD.
Backscatter is a real problem with attempting CFWA in Lembeh Strait or other muck locations, try to avoid “shoveling” of the bottom substrate with your dome shield. Incorporating blue-water into the upper section of your shot will also alleviate this issue a bit.
Be patient and follow the Shoot, review,a dn. re-shoot principle.
Get a good model, and discuss with them what you are looking for, as it’s not always readily obvious…”you want me to model with a blue-ring octopus?!?”
What I have described here is only scratching the surface of possibilities. The ability to immediately review your images allows you to easily create a variety of interesting and unique images using creative lighting techniques. So go get yourself some PVC, an old wetsuit to cut up, and make some art.
