Pulau Payar (Pix)

[Goondoo]

Hi guys...
My first dive with my C750 last weekend in Pulau Payar. Visibility was bad most of the time, about 4-5m probably. Some pictures attached, all comments welcome...

[beivied]

nice nudi!

[Lensman]

Perhaps getting closer (macro) would be better as the flash would be able to light up the subject and will not appear greenish...

[kng]

Wah - nice photos!!! Thanks for sharing!

Any more photos??

ps: er.. quite suaku - is pulau payar near langkawi?

[waisj]

Originally Posted by kng ps: er.. quite suaku - is pulau payar near langkawi?

ya kng, it is the marine park near langkawi, but recent developement on the main island had deterioated the visibility. a couple of my friend are going there.. will see their trip report.!

[waisj]

Originally Posted by Goondoo

can anyone help identify the nudibranch?

is it a variant of the ribescia tyroni??

by the way the sweet lips is nice.. the expression of the face..

[kng]

Originally Posted by waisj ya kng, it is the marine park near langkawi, but recent developement on the main island had deterioated the visibility. a couple of my friend are going there.. will see their trip report.!

looks like there are many uwcs folks who are night-birds! No wonder seed 3 ended at 4am!!

Keep us posted on their trip report!!

Goondoo - you wanna share your trip report here too??

[waisj]

Originally Posted by kng looks like there are many uwcs folks who are night-birds! No wonder seed 3 ended at 4am!!

too bad you adn ah gong not there.. or not.. it will be complete....

[beivied]

tomorrow public holiday ma ^_^

[Goondoo]

Thanks guys...
This is my first attempt in UW photography, actually, i was never a real photographer too. I took about 30 pixs over the six dives and those shown were the only "can see" ones... keke

Anyway sharing a point, my major problem was bouyancy control. I got my bouyancy so perfectly tuned to normal hovering(without adding any more air to BC in bottom, only using breathing to control my level) that I had problems maintaining low to take pictures, even when I released all my air in the BC, I starts to float even when I breath in the least. I am carrying two 1 kg weights only. I am thinking of maybe trying 4 pieces instead next time.

However, I am new to both diving and photography. Maybe some experts would like to share some points too.

PS: what is a Field report?

[waisj]

ok here are my 2 cents

As for me, i prefer to be a bit negative when i am shooting photos.
reason being, i dont have to keep exhaling to maintain my bouyancy and create bubble noise.

normal Que would be to approach subject slowly with the least amount of bubble noise, breath abit to be neautral, then wait and snap.


hope that helped.

[kthan]

ditto, esp taking macro, overweight yourself a little. the best is u can rest you body on something, like sandy patch. tehn your fins won't kick around and stir up sand / silt and worst, kill corals....

As for the shots, while i think filling the frame with your subject is fine, it doesn't work all the time. some negative space would be good too. Seems the moray a little out of focus.....

[beivied]

Originally Posted by kthan ditto, esp taking macro, overweight yourself a little. the best is u can rest you body on something, like sandy patch. tehn your fins won't kick around and stir up sand / silt and worst, kill corals.... As for the shots, while i think filling the frame with your subject is fine, it doesn't work all the time. some negative space would be good too. Seems the moray a little out of focus.....

can use pointer to stab the ground.. but like what we said at SEED III, careful dont become nudi skewer!

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by waisj can anyone help identify the nudibranch? is it a variant of the ribescia tyroni?? by the way the sweet lips is nice.. the expression of the face.. 0

I'm sorry.. but where's the face...

[kng]

Originally Posted by Goondoo Thanks guys... This is my first attempt in UW photography, actually, i was never a real photographer too. I took about 30 pixs over the six dives and those shown were the only "can see" ones... keke Anyway sharing a point, my major problem was bouyancy control. I got my bouyancy so perfectly tuned to normal hovering(without adding any more air to BC in bottom, only using breathing to control my level) that I had problems maintaining low to take pictures, even when I released all my air in the BC, I starts to float even when I breath in the least. I am carrying two 1 kg weights only. I am thinking of maybe trying 4 pieces instead next time. However, I am new to both diving and photography. Maybe some experts would like to share some points too. PS: what is a Field report?

Yup - try adding just 1 extra weight. A bit negatively bouyant but not overly so.

Your photos are excellent for a first time!! Some tips huh?... i also not expert but maybe you can try 1. shooting at the widest angle possible to minimise the water between lens and animal - improves clarity and reduces backscatter, 2. make sure the eye of the animal is in focus, 3. try not to take photos from top down, 4. use a red/orange filter to balance some of the blues/greens for non-macro shots, and 5. dive more to be more experienced and learn & understand the animal behaviour better.
Item 5 is probably the most under-estimated virtue among amateur dive photographers - if you look at michael aw's or tony wu's photos, they have a deep understanding of the animal's behaviour and habits, and that is a huge advantage in seeking that spectacular shot of jawfish holding eggs in its mouth etc etc. (Just my 0.05 cents worth)

Keep diving & shooting! Nothing like practice to make perfect.

[beivied]

*nods in agreement* ^_^ thats why on every dive i am so busy learning! barely filling the room of improvement man ...

[denizenx]

oooooh did anyone say Langkawi???
how accessible is it? half-day trip possible?

[waisj]

Originally Posted by denizenx oooooh did anyone say Langkawi??? how accessible is it? half-day trip possible?

it is actually on KEDAH state, further up than Penang. A couple of my friends are there, Half a day trips are not quite possible.! i am afraid.

[beivied]

k..k..kk..kk.kedah?? just the journey there is about half a day le ba ...

[lovells19]

er Kedah By bus is approximately 12hrs :P

by Plane is approximately 1 1/2 hrs

half day quite impossible lor.. unless you're stayin in kedah or penang area. :P