My, My, My......
It's amazing how things change when you take a real hard look at the issue.
When I first saw the images by DD I couldn't help but think they were just the ordinary standard studio product shot type of commercial photography practiced by all kinds of photographers on a daily basis. However, I did give him credit for using a tried and true technique in a completely different surrounding that being an underwater one. Fair enough.
What intrigued me was the creative process with which he was able to come up with something that I thought was fresh and new, as I had been swayed by comments posted by other Wetpixel members.
I also decided to read the newsletter that Bottomtime mentioned in his post about this technique being utilized before. That newsletter can be found “
here”.
Indeed, this technique has been done before, and for quite a long time as a matter of fact, by Susan Middleton and David Liitttschwager. Susan Middleton chaired the California Academy of Sciences department of photography from 1982 to 1995 before striking out on her own. She produces these images in conjunction with David Liittschawger who used to work as a studio photographer under Richard Avedon.
More information on Susan Middleton and David Liittschwager can be found “
here”, “
here” and “
here”.
This web page, located “
here”, is especially enlightening (no pun intended) as to how they actually photograph their underwater specimens. It is quite elaborate and I wouldn't use the term “minimal” when trying to quantify the amount of manipulation of the critter.
Both Susan Middleton and David Liittschager have worked with National Geographic on several occasions and have even had film crews document their methods. As you well know, DD is also affiliated with National Geographic, so I can see him as being aware of this technique simply through the connection with National Geographic.
Having said all that, I think we should be looking at these images in a different light (again no pun intended).
I tend to look at these images as technically well executed, and well presented, although not ground breaking in any sense. To think of them as anything else we would, unfortunately, have to introduce the nasty “P” word to this forum, and I know DD is to good for that.
P.S. I also read about those Bamfield Barnacles in the newsletter and wished I could do that too!
Paul Walker.
Nikon D2x, D7000, Aquatica D2x, AD7000, SunStrobe 200 x2, Inon Z240 x2, TLC Arms