C&C - Wide angle at the Prom

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Mel.B

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I've just returned from our annual trip to Wilson's Prom in Victoria, Australia. The Prom is the best diving in Victoria by far. Below is a fairly typical wide angle scene at the prom.

I'm happy with this shot as I think I managed to acheive a resonable blue in our victorian waters and not strobe placements seems to be ok with not to much backscatter (although maybe could have 'reached' to behind the zooanthids a bit more) but to me the composition is just 'blah' :yuck: How could I improve the composition of this shot? I will be back at the Prom in Dec so will have a chance to try again.

F 6.3 1/160

WilsonsProm200600103a.jpg


Thanks,
Mel.b
 
You've got a nice exposure there and the tentacles are sharp (a little sharpen filter might make them even better.)

Next time you head down there think about having a strong subject. In this photo it's pretty, but there's nothing to really direct the eye.

I'd probably spend quite a bit of time right there...I'd try getting nice and low and shooting up more - looks like there is some interesting stuff above the yellow flowers, too. I'd definitely work the angles a bit & think about the rule of thirds and balance in the frame - maybe try to come around to the left with your camera just a bit to get the tentacles to stand out more instead of being compressed into the background of the reef...Oooo, all sorts of things to try!

Even though I really struggle to like diver shots, how about adding a diver looking at the flowers? If he/she has a camera or a torch even better and have the diver in the blue a bit. Don't let the diver look at the camera (either yours OR his/her own - just have him/her pretend to take a photo of the scene)! I have an otherwise nice shot with my bud looking right at me...it's fine, but not having him stare out of the image would be better imho!

Nice and has given me some ideas for an area on our local reef, too :wink: Looking forward to seeing what others have to say and to seeing your December shots! (and more from this dive would be good :wink: )
 
Thanks for the suggestions alcina. When you say come out to the left, do you mean the left as you look at the photo? This was taken on a wall and I was already pretty much right up against it, so i couldn't have gone any further that way. If I moved more the other way, I would be face onto the wall and would that make the photo look 'flat?'. I like the idea of a diver in the blue and I'll try that next time too.

LOL about spending more time there...I pretty much spent the whole dive there much to the annoyance of my buddy (who dissappeared pretty quickly when she realised I wasn't moving!) The wide angle shots are pretty much the same as the above but I got some macro shots...

WilsonsProm200600156b.jpg


WilsonsProm2.jpg


The weather wasn't great so we only got out for a couple of dives. One of those was with a seal colony...

WilsonsProm3.jpg


WilsonsProm4.jpg


WilsonsProm200600261a.jpg



Thanks,
mel.b
 
Love the sea lions :)

Yes, I mean farther to the left as you look at the photo. You might have to simply move the camera, take a guesstimate shot and try again, if you can't physically move your body closer. This is a good skill to develop anyway as it can be useful for walls, areas with stinging hydroids, under ledges where you can't get your head in too etc. That will buy you a few more inches and sometimes it can make all the difference. Or it might suck :wink: This is such a pretty looking area I can see why you spent a ton of time there! You might have to bribe your buddy to stay in the shot for a few frames before she swims away on the next dive!
 
alcina:
I'd probably spend quite a bit of time right there...I'd try getting nice and low and shooting up more - looks like there is some interesting stuff above the yellow flowers, too. I'd definitely work the angles a bit & think about the rule of thirds and balance in the frame - maybe try to come around to the left with your camera just a bit to get the tentacles to stand out more instead of being compressed into the background of the reef...Oooo, all sorts of things to try!

I agree, the exposure looks pretty good, but when I look at it I am drawn to the top of the picture wanting more there. Getting lower and shooting more upwards would be interesting. and the rule of thirds would help. Maybe with a diver silhouette in the blue above if it works out would be interesting. You will probably have to adjust your exposure as you point your camera more up though as you may get too much cyan and not that nice blue. You can kind of see in your picture how it is trying to go cyan anyhow at the top.

Looks like I could spend a good 30 minutes or more even just right there also!.. :D Nice shot though and good subject!
 
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