now after diving both raja ampat, bunaken, and wakatobi i have to say...

[Dan]

Oh man Pontohi! They are always flapping back and forth. I'm with you on dslr my s95 can't get a decent focus on a hairy shrimp. I'm currently buying a sl1 and hopefully I'll be able to get a decent focus on a hairy shrimp or skeleton shrimp.

Indeed! To keep it from flapping back & forth, I stuck my 1/4" diameter pointer next to it & snap a picture of it leaning on my stick . That's the best one I got with my 8-years old Sea & Sea DX1G.

You can see how tiny it is.

 

[Dan]

saw one of these badboys last time in wakatobi. very cool.

Whoa! Cool shot of Marbled Shrimp Complex! That's on the front cover of Paul Humann & Ned Deloach book of Reef Creature identification Tropical Pacific. Nice find!

 

[Cali_diver]

View attachment 378432

Indeed! To keep it from flapping back & forth, I stuck my 1/4" diameter pointer next to it & snap a picture of it leaning on my stick . That's the best one I got with my 8-years old Sea & Sea DX1G.

You can see how tiny it is.

This reminds me of Dr. Richard Smith talking about what it is like for pygmy seahorses when divers are around. I think I remember him likening the poke of a pointer to smacking it with a telephone pole... this is a great illustration of this.

 

[anenomefishman]

Whoa! Cool shot of Marbled Shrimp Complex! That's on the front cover of Paul Humann & Ned Deloach book of Reef Creature identification Tropical Pacific. Nice find!

i did not find it. the divemaster did. he knew right where it was though. underneath an anemone at about 60 ft depth.

 

[Dan]

This reminds me of Dr. Richard Smith talking about what it is like for pygmy seahorses when divers are around. I think I remember him likening the poke of a pointer to smacking it with a telephone pole... this is a great illustration of this.

Oh Boy. Does it look like I smack that Pontohi around to you? I tried to put that stick as gently as possible & the Pontohi just leaned on it. I took the stick away as soon as the picture was taken. I guess I better stop doing this kind of thing in the future, huh?

 

[dirtfarmer]

This reminds me of Dr. Richard Smith talking about what it is like for pygmy seahorses when divers are around. I think I remember him likening the poke of a pointer to smacking it with a telephone pole... this is a great illustration of this.

Photographers can be detrimental to the environment/aimals they are taking photos in/of .Guides looking to please their guests sometimes will go to no ends to get that critter positioned for the perfect shot. Every once and a while I will tell my guide to back off if they are going to far. I'll even tell another diver they are crushing coral or going to far. Mostly they take offense and that can lead to hurt feeling and uncomfortable situations. Hell my last time in Lembeh I 'm shooting video of a flamboyant cuttlefish hunting and another diver comes up with his video lights blaring scaring the flamboyant causing him to stop hunting. Needless to say I lost my cool, gave him some terse words turned around a made sure I kicked up lots of sand to give him a taste of his own medicine. Not my finest moment, but I was tired of people barreling in while I was shooting something,bringing waves of silt because they can't keep their fins off the sand. Needless to say that diver didn't talk to me for the rest of the time they were there.

Sometimes us amateur photographers have been led to high expectations from seeing professional photos of say a emporer shrimp perfectly posed between that nudis rhinospheres, or the worst case Ive seen was a ladybug shrimp sitting on top of a pygmy seahorse. How pray tell did that get there?
DanT I'm not smacking you down but the pointer is going to far. Shutter delay is one reason I'm upgrading my camera. These days if that pygmy seahorse has been blasted in the face by the strobes of other divers I'll look to see if it's positioned for a good shot and I'll try a a few, but I won't ask my guide to move him, or shoot 20 shots hoping for a lucky one. I wish we all could have more respect for the creatures we love so much, we just need to not love them to death.
That said danT please don't hate me or stop posting here, I enjoy your posts.

 

[Cali_diver]

Oh Boy. Does it look like I smack that Pontohi around to you? I tried to put that stick as gently as possible & the Pontohi just leaned on it. I took the stick away as soon as the picture was taken. I guess I better stop doing this kind of thing in the future, huh?

Well I was definitely going off the telephone pole analogy... (looks like a big telephone pole sitting next to the seahorse), not the smacking part... but if it stops you from doing it and makes you discourage guides from poking them for a good picture then that is great! I have watched guides poke and poke and have learned the hard way what effect it has on the seahorse and the gorgonian. I won't let guides do it anymore. Here is a great set of guidelines:

Dr Richard Smith - Ocean Realm Images - Timeline | Facebook

 

[anenomefishman]

Photographers can be detrimental to the environment/aimals they are taking photos in/of .Guides looking to please their guests sometimes will go to no ends to get that critter positioned for the perfect shot. Every once and a while I will tell my guide to back off if they are going to far. I'll even tell another diver they are crushing coral or going to far. Mostly they take offense and that can lead to hurt feeling and uncomfortable situations. Hell my last time in Lembeh I 'm shooting video of a flamboyant cuttlefish hunting and another diver comes up with his video lights blaring scaring the flamboyant causing him to stop hunting. Needless to say I lost my cool, gave him some terse words turned around a made sure I kicked up lots of sand to give him a taste of his own medicine. Not my finest moment, but I was tired of people barreling in while I was shooting something,bringing waves of silt because they can't keep their fins off the sand. Needless to say that diver didn't talk to me for the rest of the time they were there.

Sometimes us amateur photographers have been led to high expectations from seeing professional photos of say a emporer shrimp perfectly posed between that nudis rhinospheres, or the worst case Ive seen was a ladybug shrimp sitting on top of a pygmy seahorse. How pray tell did that get there?
DanT I'm not smacking you down but the pointer is going to far. Shutter delay is one reason I'm upgrading my camera. These days if that pygmy seahorse has been blasted in the face by the strobes of other divers I'll look to see if it's positioned for a good shot and I'll try a a few, but I won't ask my guide to move him, or shoot 20 shots hoping for a lucky one. I wish we all could have more respect for the creatures we love so much, we just need to not love them to death.
That said danT please don't hate me or stop posting here, I enjoy your posts.

i have hydroid stings all over my hands and legs from recent trip to RA. i wear a 3 mm shorty wetsuit. people used pointer sticks to keep from touching the reef. i used my hands. you cannot wear gloves there (raja ampat), but you can use pointers and reef hooks. the current can be very wicked there..

 

[Cali_diver]

i have hydroid stings all over my hands and legs from recent trip to RA. i wear a 3 mm shorty wetsuit. people used pointer sticks to keep from touching the reef. i used my hands. you cannot wear gloves there (raja ampat), but you can use pointers and reef hooks. the current can be very wicked there..

I swear the hydroids on Melissa's Garden try extra hard to get you!!!!

 

[WetPup]

Photographers can be detrimental to the environment/aimals they are taking photos in/of .Guides looking to please their guests sometimes will go to no ends to get that critter positioned for the perfect shot. Every once and a while I will tell my guide to back off if they are going to far. I'll even tell another diver they are crushing coral or going to far. Mostly they take offense and that can lead to hurt feeling and uncomfortable situations. Hell my last time in Lembeh I 'm shooting video of a flamboyant cuttlefish hunting and another diver comes up with his video lights blaring scaring the flamboyant causing him to stop hunting. Needless to say I lost my cool, gave him some terse words turned around a made sure I kicked up lots of sand to give him a taste of his own medicine. Not my finest moment, but I was tired of people barreling in while I was shooting something,bringing waves of silt because they can't keep their fins off the sand. Needless to say that diver didn't talk to me for the rest of the time they were there.

Sometimes us amateur photographers have been led to high expectations from seeing professional photos of say a emporer shrimp perfectly posed between that nudis rhinospheres, or the worst case Ive seen was a ladybug shrimp sitting on top of a pygmy seahorse. How pray tell did that get there?
DanT I'm not smacking you down but the pointer is going to far. Shutter delay is one reason I'm upgrading my camera. These days if that pygmy seahorse has been blasted in the face by the strobes of other divers I'll look to see if it's positioned for a good shot and I'll try a a few, but I won't ask my guide to move him, or shoot 20 shots hoping for a lucky one. I wish we all could have more respect for the creatures we love so much, we just need to not love them to death.
That said danT please don't hate me or stop posting here, I enjoy your posts.

Have you seen Alex's rant about this regarding photo comps? It was a pretty epic takedown

Agree entirely though. Seen one too many guides harassing critters. It's part of the reason I am still staying at one particular resort in Lembeh, despite the resort going downhill...My favourite guide is there, and I know he respects the critters. He'll pull me away if he thinks it's enough. I don't want to lose my favourite guide!