My Love For Manado 2009

[ryanlwc]

Made my annual pilgrimage to Manado during the Good Friday Week. Once again, great guides, great diving, met up with great people. Hope to dive with u guys again, Debs and David ! Its been a great pleasure.

I went with the dreams of creating a series of wonderful explosive pictures with a black based background. BUT soon I realised, dreams dont come true when you are only using strobes for the second time!! I certainly need more practise !

Was bit disappointed with quite a number of photos, comments and critiques are definitely welcome and needed.

Here goes after a month long delay....


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[ryanlwc]

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Something I caught onland.

[Dr Bob]

After 20 odd years I still feel the same

Nice shot of the Mandarin pipefish and pygmy.
I think you may be over saturating some of your shots a wee.

Cheers

[kthan]

only the second time using strobes?

Well, just keep those trash shots from public eyes and nobody will know. I like them very much. Seems like your composition is gearing towards cover shots, with lots of dead space for wordings (potentially).

[antacid]

nice pictures..thanks for sharing.

how did you get the first pic? you managed to catch it swimming in the water column?

[howeikwok]

Very nice. I see you got your mandarinfish shot in the end. A number of shots seems a bit overexposed by the strobes try powering it down a bit? Easier to recover details from underexposed shots rather than overexposed ones.

[biggrey]

great pics! agree that you shots seem more like cover shots! nice nice
i'm goin to manado in aug, hope to see lots of things too..
forgive me for askin but i'm rather noob, how do u get that blacked out backgrd effect? do u use manual strobe or ttl? or u use weak flash with high aperture/shutter speed so u capture the foregrd ie subject only? haha again sorry for askin as i still noobish n learnin my way underwater n thanks in advance!!

[lovells19]

lovely set!

cannot get enough of manado/lembeh.. :P

[ryanlwc]

Originally Posted by biggrey great pics! agree that you shots seem more like cover shots! nice nice i'm goin to manado in aug, hope to see lots of things too.. forgive me for askin but i'm rather noob, how do u get that blacked out backgrd effect? do u use manual strobe or ttl? or u use weak flash with high aperture/shutter speed so u capture the foregrd ie subject only? haha again sorry for askin as i still noobish n learnin my way underwater n thanks in advance!!

Well i usually try to shoot at a high f-stop (but there is a limit to how high you can go with a compact), a faster shutter speed and with the camera on the same level as the subject. I am still trying too cos its not always that i get the black background

[ryanlwc]

Originally Posted by howeikwok Very nice. I see you got your mandarinfish shot in the end. A number of shots seems a bit overexposed by the strobes try powering it down a bit? Easier to recover details from underexposed shots rather than overexposed ones.

Well I have to thank you for the photo of the mandarin man. Could not have gotten it without ur advice. And ya having some probs with getting the right exposure with the strobes. Quite a no of photos were overexposed.

[howeikwok]

Originally Posted by ryanlwc Well I have to thank you for the photo of the mandarin man. Could not have gotten it without ur advice. And ya having some probs with getting the right exposure with the strobes. Quite a no of photos were overexposed.

No worries, glad you've got a nice shot there. Hehe, looks like you need another trip to lembeh then.

[Dylan]

Noo..am going to make him fustrated in Tulamben in July.. show him ultra macro...to shoot.

[howeikwok]

Originally Posted by Dylan Noo..am going to make him fustrated in Tulamben in July.. show him ultra macro...to shoot.

You evil boy you. Btw, the advert of you on the taxi quite cartoon sia...

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by howeikwok You evil boy you. Btw, the advert of you on the taxi quite cartoon sia...

Why so?

[howeikwok]

Originally Posted by Dylan Why so?

Hehe, look so serious. But nice lah, Professional Underwater Photographer leh....

[ryanlwc]

Originally Posted by Dylan Noo..am going to make him fustrated in Tulamben in July.. show him ultra macro...to shoot.

Wah laoz eh thanks leh bro, then i might as well just bring a magnifying glass and leave the camera at home.

[ryanlwc]

Originally Posted by howeikwok No worries, glad you've got a nice shot there. Hehe, looks like you need another trip to lembeh then.

There is always a need for another trip to Lembeh no matter what man. Never sick of it.

[Dylan]

you can join me in Manado from the 3rd - 10th June and 15-29th June....