First Pics (LX5, 10 Bar housing, YS-01) - constructive criticism anyone?

[Cosmographer]

Hello all. I just returned from a trip to Sri Lanka where we set aside one day to dive a local reef. These were my 9th and 10th dives and also the first time I used my own camera (which I purchased just days before the trip). So these pics are about as noobie as you can get. Each dive only lasted about 35 minutes (according to the DM, our bottom time was so short because of our depth which went down to 26m) so I didn't get as many shots as I would have liked, but these are among the better ones.

I would really like to develop some decent uw photography skills, so any advice/criticism/tips would be much appreciated!

crab.jpg shrimp.jpg ray2.jpg eel3.jpg ray.jpg eels.jpg

[Larry C]

Considering your lack of diving experience you did pretty well. The spotted moray and the ray are the best. All of the shots are downward, which is typical of new UW photographers, not only because that is the normal view of things when you're swimming above them, but because new divers don't have as much buoyancy control and have to stay farther from the reef. Anytime you can get below your subject, it can give a different perspective. Think of taking portraits topside. Do you want to look down on your subject, with a table or floor as your background, or be level or upward, with a pleasing background that makes the subject stand out?
The other common problem with new divers and new photographers is the difficulty getting close enough to the subject. Good examples are the first two. The subject is hard to identify. It should dominate the picture. That requires getting closer and holding position while you wait for the subject to come into your frame. Most new divers tend to chase away what they want to see. My family and I were diving in Cozumel a few years ago and one of those cattle boats with 20 divers dropped their load on the same reef. A Nurse shark happened to be swimming on the bottom nearby and the first diver into the water saw it and gave chase. Soon, 10 divers were chasing the shark, which quickly disappeared, while their divemaster frantically clanged on his tank to get the divers back.
It takes patience and experience to get close to a subject without alarming it. You'll get both of these with practice. Good start. Your lighting is good and your camera seems steady.

[Nishan]

nice start! Echo what Larry C has to say about angles and getting closer. as you dive more you will start to understand the behavior of some of these animals as well which helps. a lot of the bigger animals are curious and will approach you if you stay still. and try front on and slightly side on angles which give more depth to the image than side on angles of fish that are mostly good for ID books. good luck and enjoy diving.
are these from Negombo btw?

[Cosmographer]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was aware of the "don't shoot down" guideline, but it's harder said than done for a noobie, hehe. I was also a bit worried about getting too close to some of these creatures. With my buoyancy and control still iffy, I was afraid I'd end up putting my hand in the moray's mouth to keep from drifting by (luckily for my hand and the eel, I found a convenient rock just in time). Ditto for the sting ray. I was a bit concerned about getting too close to the ray in the sand because I don't know how temperamental they are (thoughts of Steve Irwin kept going through my head). The ray under the rock was a bit better because I figured it couldn't barb me with the low overhang, but then again, there were 2 giant honeycomb morays under the same rock just off to the side - I could only see their bodies, so I didn't want to get too close lest I come face to face with an irritated giant eel.

I actually thought the crab on the anemone thing was my best shot - just goes to show you that even my uw photo-judging skills are noobish, hehe.

These pics were indeed from Negombo. I would have loved to dive the wreck of the aircraft carrier as well as the sunken plane, but just didn't have the time. This was just a 5 day trip, and there were lots of places to visit in the Sri Lankan interior. Although in hindsight, I think I might have preferred the carrier over some of the other stuff we saw. After all, the first carrier to be built might not be as ancient as the ruins, but there's some historic value in it as well, right?

[Nishan]

Thought the pictures looked like Negombo.

The aircraft carrier is on the east coast and dived during the SW monsoon season. anyway its a deep technical dive so you need at least a few more years of intensive dive experience and training before you attempt that. The best diving in Negombo is on an offshore reef called the 3rd reef. Good viz and fish life. The plane wreck is not that exciting TBH. But there are plenty of other good wrecks to dive around Sri Lanka if you are ever back here.