179 replies to this topic

[pats0n]

Couple of bait ball action shots - these ones are not best quality but I think they demonstrate what bait ball diving is all about pretty well:

Edited by pats0n, 12 July 2008 - 07:34 AM.

[Steve Williams]

Great images Alex! I'd love to see what you think best quality looks like.

Steve

[shawnh]

Wow!...enough said.

[loftus]

Alex,
There is an almost 'painted' quality to these images, unlike anything I have ever seen underwater. Really exceptional.
Are these straight out of camera as shot, what, if any, post-processing have you done? Can you give us EXIF data?

Edited by loftus, 12 July 2008 - 02:58 PM.

[pats0n]

Alex,
There is an almost 'painted' quality to these images, unlike anything I have ever seen underwater. Really exceptional.
Are these straight out of camera as shot, what, if any, post-processing have you done? Can you give us EXIF data?

first four I posted are straight out of camera shots with some very minimum contrast/saturation correction (none of first four are cropped) - conversion is done in Adobe Lightroom and sharpening for web is done in Photoshop;

second two are more difficult shots due to bigger lighting difference of the scenes, so I used Capture NX for conversion which does better job in pulling shadows and filtering noise then Lightroom for NEF's, especially in D300 14 bit mode. First image of two is cropped and second has some retouching (some dolphin tails are removed from left bottom corner). That's pretty much it.

Each image has EXIF preserved.

[pats0n]

Great images Alex! I'd love to see what you think best quality looks like.

Steve

Thanks ! Well, I guess I will have to keep few images for upcoming competitions, to preserve "wow" factor intact

[loftus]

first four I posted are straight out of camera shots with some very minimum contrast/saturation correction (none of first four are cropped) - conversion is done in Adobe Lightroom and sharpening for web is done in Photoshop;

second two are more difficult shots due to bigger lighting difference of the scenes, so I used Capture NX for conversion which does better job in pulling shadows and filtering noise then Lightroom for NEF's, especially in D300 14 bit mode. First image of two is cropped and second has some retouching (some dolphin tails are removed from left bottom corner). That's pretty much it.

Each image has EXIF preserved.

Thanks, I love that light. Especially the last one you posted.

[davichin]

Thanks ! Well, I guess I will have to keep few images for upcoming competitions, to preserve "wow" factor intact

Enough WOW for me!


I have this and next year´s holidays compromised but I have to go there!

Luisa says to get to married and get 15 more days off by law!

[pats0n]

Enough WOW for me!
I have this and next year´s holidays compromised but I have to go there!

Luisa says to get to married and get 15 more days off by law!

That might be totally worth it !

[NickJ]

Hi from Sydney Drew - well done on a spectaclar run, that's what comes with going so regularly, some days it just has to come together when you are onsite that often. Spectaculat photos! The sail fish, speechless ..... (and you know that is hard for me )

[Cal]

Hey guys!

Private question but what does a trip out there normally set you back?

I just cant drag my eyes away from some of these photos................

Does any one have a link to more?

Cal

[philsokol]

Hi Cal,

I'm signed up for the Island Dreams trip next year. Cost is $3895 for 10 days, not incl air fare or the add-on safari that you're going to want to do somewhere Check out www.divetrip.com.

Phil

[davichin]

Hey guys!

Private question but what does a trip out there normally set you back?

I just cant drag my eyes away from some of these photos................

Does any one have a link to more?

Cal

Hello Cal

I think that is not JUST the money but the risk of not getting a good week etc... I would think one needs ten to fifteen days and, in my dayjob case, booking months in advance which adds more risk to the holiday

But I have to go anyway! (I am starting by telling Luisa that water temp is about 26 degrees )

[pats0n]

Hello Cal

I think that is not JUST the money but the risk of not getting a good week etc... I would think one needs ten to fifteen days and, in my dayjob case, booking months in advance which adds more risk to the holiday

But I have to go anyway! (I am starting by telling Luisa that water temp is about 26 degrees )

I fully agree with you, in 14 days we had 11 days on water, and only 4 days of actual diving - and I consider this as successful trip. For me it would be successful with just one bait ball dive, anyway, thing is totally worth all waiting. And if you are open minded enough there is always plenty of things to enjoy - dolphin/whale watching/swimming, birds, beautiful scenery. Setting your expectations for this trip as low as possible is best approach for planning.

Edited by pats0n, 14 July 2008 - 12:08 PM.

[Drew]

I think that is not JUST the money but the risk of not getting a good week etc

Oh how much is half full? If you only knew how many people spent how many days to get 1 day?

[stewsmith]

excellent up to date info, great photos. excellent photos , amazing photos and an absolutely excellent topic. Thanks so much for all the info, you guys who have braved the elements to bring back some amazing shots and a life time of memories to keep for yourselves.

Where do I pay the deposit ?

[davichin]

Oh how much is half full? If you only knew how many people spent how many days to get 1 day?

Could you ellaborate (is that well writen? ) on what are aproximately the good months and how much can that vary? I mean, if you had to choose/book a period of 2-3 weeks with four months in advance when would you book? and: how many dry/bad days would be an approx average? Are there many ops down there?

All this is to start making up my mind!

Thank you very much!

[Cal]

wow...........


Thats a fair bit out of my price range being a uni student and all.

I guess i'll just have to look on and admire

Cal

[Drew]

Could you ellaborate (is that well writen? ) on what are aproximately the good months and how much can that vary? I mean, if you had to choose/book a period of 2-3 weeks with four months in advance when would you book? and: how many dry/bad days would be an approx average? Are there many ops down there?

All this is to start making up my mind!

Thank you very much!

I have a better chance picking the lottery than giving that sort of info. It's nature man. Read the reports from the last 3 years.
As for ops, as of now, I believe there are at least 4 commercial operators.

[davichin]

I have a better chance picking the lottery than giving that sort of info. It's nature man. Read the reports from the last 3 years.
As for ops, as of now, I believe there are at least 4 commercial operators.

Somehow I knew I would be answered something like that!

I will check last years´ reports