CCV - Photography Instruction?

[train_ga]

My wife and in-laws are going to CCV in about 3 weeks and I just received a full blown underwater photorgraphy kit for my b-day (camera, housing, strobe, etc.) - which I am dying to learn how to use. I have read the manuals and played around with the camera but have yet to get it wet. I understand that CCV dive shop has a photographer that offers various levels of instruction on certain days (by the hour, entire day, etc.). I am very green to the world of photography and was hoping someone could weigh in with their experiences, reccomendations and/or costs for such activities?

Also, Ive been skimming thru the posts and was wondering if anyone could throw a couple must-dives to hit on our 7 day stay. Ive heard mixed reviews about taking the full day trips to other parts of the island due to the great shore diving in the front yard of CCV. We definitely plan on the shark dive.

Thx in advance.

GA

 

[robint]

Sounds like you are all set for a great trip! I would take the class. You will learn so much more right from the beginning!
Price is here: Welcome to Dockside Dive Center
He will probably want you to dive the first couple of days with the camera then come in and review the photos together.

As far as diving goes, definitely do all the boat dives if you can. You will be doing the shore dive when you do the "drop off" each day. The only boat dive I would skip are the night dive... you can night dive every night there at CCV front yard and it is some of the best night diving I have ever done!

Have fun and take lots of pictures to share with us here!

robin

 

[Doc]

Sounds like Robin has looked over the photo class pretty well! Tim Blanton, the local photo pro is well published and highly regarded in the industry. As a sidenote- if anything floods on Roatan, it usually winds up in Tim's hands... if it is going to live!

About night dives, shore versus the weekly scheduled "boat" night dive

Amen to Robin's "night dive" comment- the boat dive version appeals to many as it overcomes a perceptual issue with walking into the dark ocean on a shore dive. For many, it seems easier to consider a giant stride from a well lit boat... into the same inky black water. Some new divers will actually "wait" until the Wednesday night boat dive. Arghhh! Then they only have Thursday to try it again.

Better to do it as a shore dive- each and every night. After you have done the "drop off" dive, you'll begin to get a real good feel for the landmarks- pretty easy to follow- there's an anchor chain laid out from the intact 140' wreck all the way to your room. Any misgivings? Ask Patty at the PADI Center for Night Dive advice. Hire a DM.

Photography in this unique zone with it's particular reef structure tends to let you focus on macro critters. Photography from 1" to 2' away and filling the frame with dime sized critters, not much larger than 4"x5" framing. Yes- there are larger things, but you can see them anywhere else in the Caribbean. Use this place for what it is best known. Have a look: ScubaBoard Gallery - South Side Roatan

Go there expecting to concentrate on the small stuff- that is the magic of this very small ecological zone of the South Side. The Shark Dive is amusing, but after you've seen ten Sharks, you've seen them all. Nothing beats a Sailfin Blenny, Mantis Shrimp, Seahorse or Pipefish.

As for specific dive sites, many people make similar statements at any given dive destination. The answer is the same. DM's will take you to all of the regular sites that you have heard about. many people rave about specific sites because of the geography... the underwater architecture, the dramatic shapes of formations. As you progress, you will quickly see past most of the u/w drama, and you'll start to pick up on the stuff that most never see- the small stuff, and ther critter behaviors.

Go see Timmy at the Photo Shop, go, get wet, relax, enjoy.

PS- Don't let the camera viewfinder block your view. Think about that.

 

[train_ga]

Thx to you both - we will definitely be hitting up the night dives sooner rather than later once we get acclimated with the terrain (they are my wifes favorite).

What type of pipefish can we expect - we saw some pretty amazing ghost pipefish and sea horses in Thailand this past February (although Im not sure I wouldve been able to point them out without the help of our DM).

 

[Doc]

Thx to you both - we will definitely be hitting up the night dives sooner rather than later once we get acclimated with the terrain (they are my wifes favorite).

What type of pipefish can we expect - we saw some pretty amazing ghost pipefish and sea horses in Thailand this past February (although Im not sure I wouldve been able to point them out without the help of our DM).

Start your night dives on Sunday night. By then, you will have seen the "Front Yard" and Prince Albert Wreck three times. You'll be hooked.

Caribbean critters, by comparison to Thailand, are quite dull and survive by blending into the equally (comparatively) dull surrounding environment. That's why the Indo-Pac critters can get away with being so colorful.

As Caribbean critters age, they begin in some fairly bizarre and colorful versions!

Junior, and Daddy.....


The juvenile Damselfish is absolutely stunning, certainly as compared do it's dowdy, yet very angry adult coloration....

grows into

... how'd that happen?



The babies tend to hide where they can get away with being that colorful- again, this is the very specialized niche environment that stretches out on either side of CCV by 5 miles East and West. It is the shallow, sunlight walls that hold the greatest array of soft and hard Corals in the Caribbean... that's the key. This is the single most colorful and florid locale in the Caribbean. Plain fact.

Here's about the most colorful Pipefish I have seen but they usually show up more often looking like the background sand.

Here's a critter making a critical tactical error:

It's all out there, but I agree, without a DM, I couldn't find squat.

Keep looking for these:

And these guys are waving "Hello"...
NOTE:
Some of these pix are mine, some I got from http://www.docksidedivecenter.com/WeeklyLog.html Some I may have even gotten the names right~ but by listening to the DM's, I know where to find them!

 

[train_ga]

Im looking forward to searching for these little guys - I will post pics upon return. Thx again.

 

[robint]

Yeah, gotta love all the pipefish and seahorses at CCV!
We have only seen one before our trip there, but over the week we saw at least a dozen and not all the same kind.

There are lots and lots of cool critters right there in the Front Yard at CCV. On our night dive we had squid escort us out and then meet us and on the way back in! There is a group that hang out right there and we saw them every day. Also, a whole group of garden eels, right there at the safety stop point in 15' water! That is why I tell everyone that you don't even need to be a diver to see cool stuff at CCV. So much of the cool critters are in less than 20' of water!

robin

 

[DiveMaven]

I have to agree 100% with the recommendation to take a photo course (from a good instructor) early in your trip. We took a photo course last year on Bonaire and the difference in my husband's photos is very obvious. I'm the editor and the difference in my editing is very obvious as well. Our photo course covered both taking the photos and editing and we were able to follow up with our instructor for the next 10 days we were on island.

By taking your photo course the first day or two, you'll be able to go back to your instructor for tips and pointers as you continue to shoot photos for the rest of your stay.

 

[cfelliot]

I took the photo course from Tim Blanton at CCV. It was well worth it. Tim worked in the review sessions as to not interfere with the boat schedule and even came in early in the morning a few days. Great guy! Are you going to be there the week of 8/21-8/28? If so I'll see you there!

From last October at CCV: http://www.chuckelliot.com/roatan08II.htm

 

[train_ga]

Yes - we will be there. Hopefully you can give me a couple pointers too. I will keep an eye out for you - Greg (from Chicago).