Goby Filming

[klausi]

I have recently moved away from exclusively photographing underwater to shooting stills and video. I am mainly using an Olympus E-M1, with the 17-42 mm kit lens and the 60 mm macro lens. I am focusing on filming my favorite fishes, the gobies. I am happy about some of the results, but I realize that there is lots of room for improvement! Any tips?

This is Randall's shrimp goby displaying.

These are some other shrimp gobies engaging in unusual body language:

And this is a fight between 2 versus one gobies in the sand.

In most of these videos I am placing the camera in the sand. The approach - without scaring the tiny fishes away - is something I have down from still photography. But stabilizing the camera to get smooth footage of tiny animals is a challenge. I have not managed to get decent footage of whip coral gobies (there is no sand to set the camera down in front of them). Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[BoltSnap]

I have not managed to get decent footage of whip coral gobies (there is no sand to set the camera down in front of them). Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Can a part of a speargun shaft/spear, or the like, be used under the camera rig to hold it in place without damage to the coral? (You will have to cut the shaft/spear to the length you need).

 

[klausi]

Good idea - basically a custom XXL monopod.

Can a part of a speargun shaft/spear, or the like, be used under the camera rig to hold it in place without damage to the coral? (You will have to cut the shaft/spear to the length you need).

 

[BoltSnap]

Yes, I have been thinking the same for my camera rig. I have an old spear shaft that is no good for spear fishing am going to cut into different lengths and take with me with the camera and use as a monopod.