tubestance

A bit outside the question, but keeping a low profile (no flashy/expensive camera bags), separating any sort of duplicate gear (eg two camera bodies), and being very friendly (speaking some Spanish) helps if you do find yourself explaining your gear to an agent.

Very nice - love the colors on those reef scenes!

Great feedback Algwyn. Glad you were watching the details. I actually use a bit of Dehaze in my editing workflow, bumping it to 7 in this tutorial image. I absolutely do recommend using it, however in very modest amounts. Dehaze tends to affect areas of large detail (vs areas of sharp crisp detail like the new Texture slider). I find that if I use too much Dehaze the image takes on a darkly saturated tone, which brings an amateur look to the image. That said, I shoot Canon, and images have bold color from the start. Strobe color temp and camera AWB might also affect how how Dehaze someone feels they need, especially if the color tones are warm. I've found that some images, like black and white or low contrast, do greatly benefit from cranking the Dehaze slider. Just my opinions - we all have very different approaches to editing. Thanks again for the feedback - this is how we all learn :- )

Hi all - I just published a 15 minute tutorial on my YouTube Channel showing editing workflow on an image of humpback whales. Hope this is helpful!

Thanks for the complements all! Joe - I've actually got a 9+ minute tutorial video all about adjusting white balance in Lightroom in my VIP Video Series. It focuses on Lightroom, as I generally leave white balance on auto for still images. Note that these videos are part of a paid series that supplements all the free videos on my YouTube Channel. -> Correcting White Balance in Lightroom -> Photo Editing: Humpback Whales in Ambient Light (this covers white balance as part of a specific editing workflow) Enjoy!

AshKaras - you alluded to it in your post. Use a high aperture (f/18 +) and more of the background of the image will be in focus. The amount the background will be in focus depends on the distance to your primary subject, a concept known to landscape photographers as Hyperfocal Distance. I cover this in Part IV of my video tutorial miniseries on Autofocus for Underwater Photography. Good luck!

There are a few things here. First, expose for the sunset sky. Second, use your strobes to light the sharks. The water is crystal clear there, so strobe positioning is straight-forward. Be sure to use a high aperture and focus on the sharks not the sunset/clouds. This strobe positioning video discusses it a bit: https://tutorials.brentdurand.com/underwater-strobe-positioning This next video spends over 8 minutes explaining exposure: You'll also want to make sure your autofocus is dialed in. I've got a 4 video mini series here: http://video.brentdurand.com. Good luck!

Yea price is high on those. I usually just screw my macro diopter in and out, laying it in the sand if setting up a shot without it. You could keep the filters in a little pouch attached to your BCD as well, or pick up a dual lens caddy to store them on your strobe arms.

If the filters are cheap, testing is probably your best bet. Note that not all light manufacturers are 100% accurate in the specs they claim for their products, so that will likely add another variable to your research. With a flip adapter you can try each filter as a wet lens on each subject to determine your favorite results for that scene. If this is for photography, camera sensor size and ISO capabilities (and strength of light source) will also play a major role in the final image. Just my thoughts :- ). Good luck!

I do not, but am definitely interested in the topic! Following. Right now I use a bunch of keyword sets to help move quickly, but that's still time consuming.

Very nice. Those reefs are packed with life!

Looks like the thread picked back up. I consider 3 elements in my bag choice: weight without gear, how discrete it is, and cost, since my wallet is thin, ha! I use a ThinkTANK backpack as a personal item (rarely weighed since it doesn't look like a camera backpack), a lightweight roller with light camera insert inside (about 8-9kg and if I get hassled, I move something to my pocket until after check-in). Then I use a water-resistant padded case and topside bag inside my checked bag for other items. I've detailed out each bag and what goes in each here: Packing for Underwater Photographers. Another secret for airlines with very strict regulations (e.g. South Pacific) is a photographer's vest, since that's just body weight. That said, there's no right and wrong, but always great to read these threads to see what everyone is doing!

Glad you're taking both! You never know about weather and dive conditions, a new night dive, etc. ;- )

This is an interesting subject, and like said above, I think it depends on the purpose of the image. If you composed the image with the trash present, then maybe it should stay there. But if it's a distraction in the background, clone it out. If the image is being used for photojournalism, then nothing should be changed. If used as art, then change everything. If you're pitching the image in magazine destination stories, they likely won't want any trash in there as people won't want to visit. Tough choices! Looking forward to seeing the images. The other big thing here is that divers understand the trash issue, and we talk about it among ourselves incestuously. Real change will be created when we can make an impact outside of our groups and social media buddies...

Really nice! My one suggestion would be more stability for macro. Definitely using a tripod if you're not already. Thanks for sharing.