HOw often do you try something different?

[MikeVeitch 0]

I would expect that here on WP, the folks who often read the boards get some good ideas in both photo and video and say to themselves "Hey, that is something i should try"

 

Question is, how often does this actually happen? When you go out on a dive or a dive trip do you find yourself trying these new ideas you read about? Or do you have ideas of your own that you try out? Or do you just fall back on the same ol routine and take WA pics on a WA dive and macro critter pics on a critter dive?

 

Obviously some of us dive more often than others and can try different things underwater more often than others but what about on land? Do you just take snapshots or really try to do different things?

 

I often find when i do get the chance to drop the video and take stills here i end up doing the same ol thing time after time and only when i can't find something interesting i will then try different things like motion blur etc. Sometimes i will go out with that specifically in mind but more often it is "a lack of something interesting to shoot" or "hmm, i have already shot this before"

 

Do folks who only get to do one or two trips a year spend it "getting the critters"? OR do you specifically work on capturing something different?

 

M

[RickM 0]

I'm one of those people who don't get the chance to dive everyday (for that matter every week or every month....you get the idea) so I try to prepare as much as possible when I get the opportunity.

 

But on those dives where you end up with a macro lens and there aren't any macro subjects or a WA setup and the vis doesn't cooperate, that's when experimentation really seems to kick in for me. Just because I've completely missed the ideal setup for a particular dive doesn't mean I'll shoot fewer pictures.

 

And yes, most of them will probably suck, but you never know when you'll hit on something!

 

Rick

[Islandbound 1]

Luckily I am so new to the hobby that almost everything I do is new! I live on an island and do get the chance to dive several times a week. I find myself reading with interest the ideas of the more experienced people here and then try to act on those ideas in the water. Posts like how to get a black or blue background, framing etc are very helpful and give me much to think about in the water.

 

katamuki

[MikeVeitch 0]

I wrote this post yesterday as i was getting ready to go out on a dive with photo for the first time in a while. I took the 60mm for the first time in ages, i usually take the 105mm here as fish are too shy for the 60 to be much use.

 

I was thinking it would put me in a different mindset and try something different in order to get some satisfaction from the lens. Instead i just got bored from lack of subjects...

 

But, looking at some WA subjects during the dives it gave me an idea to try in the next few days when we don't really have any guests...

 

Hmmm, i will keep it posted if i can get these ideas to work

[pakman 0]

I wrote this post yesterday as i was getting ready to go out on a dive with photo for the first time in a while. I took the 60mm for the first time in ages, i usually take the 105mm here as fish are too shy for the 60 to be much use.

 

I was thinking it would put me in a different mindset and try something different in order to get some satisfaction from the lens. Instead i just got bored from lack of subjects...

 

But, looking at some WA subjects during the dives it gave me an idea to try in the next few days when we don't really have any guests...

 

Hmmm, i will keep it posted if i can get these ideas to work

 

Well I had mustard instead of the usual mayonnaise on my roast beef sandwich today...

 

Considering I'm still relatively new to all this, what's a routine shot for most of you seasoned pro's is still something "new" for me...

 

What I do try to do is frequently peruse through photos on pro photogs websites, diving mags, and forums like wetpixel and look for unique perspectives/ composition/ lighting which I will then try on future dives if the opportunity arises.

 

Of course most end up looking like crap...

Edited May 9, 2007 by pakman

[tjgreen 0]

I would expect that here on WP, the folks who often read the boards get some good ideas in both photo and video and say to themselves "Hey, that is something i should try"

 

Question is, how often does this actually happen? When you go out on a dive or a dive trip do you find yourself trying these new ideas you read about? Or do you have ideas of your own that you try out? Or do you just fall back on the same ol routine and take WA pics on a WA dive and macro critter pics on a critter dive?

 

Obviously some of us dive more often than others and can try different things underwater more often than others but what about on land? Do you just take snapshots or really try to do different things?

 

Do folks who only get to do one or two trips a year spend it "getting the critters"? OR do you specifically work on capturing something different?

 

M

 

As a relative beginner who doesn't dive with a camera very often - a few times a year - my approach is trying to capture the same sort of pics I see from the best photographers here. Once I master the basic rules of composition and lighting to consistently produce excellent results UW, I'll think about breaking the rules.

 

That said, within that framework I try to be very specific, and try different things. I usually try to give myself an assignment when I shoot, on land or UW. My assignment might be technical (i.e. motion capture using rear curtain sync, shooting macro to get blue/black backgrounds), or subject-specific (i.e., cleaning station pics, reefscapes), or just goofy, like capturing everyone yawning at family gatherings (that one made a great slide show, actually, though my jaw hurt from all that seed yawning). Pros have a huge advantage over most of us amateurs, in that they're almost always diving on assignment, be it their own or someone else's. Knowing exactly what I want is half the battle, then it's just taking enough pics to get it.

 

I find the more general my assignment is, the worse my pictures are, and the less creative. I also find I'm far more patient when my objective is clear - if I'm down there to shoot one thing, I don't feel compelled to rush around the reef and see all the other things I'm missing. Sometimes I relax and do snapshot dives, absolutely, but they serve the same purpose (and are about as good) as any vacation snapshots - they remind me of where I was and what I saw, and that's about it. Most of the time though, I try pretty hard not to dive just to "get the critters"; I could buy a book with better pics for a whole lot less.

 

Hopefully that didn't too pedantic and pompous - just my two cents.

Edited May 9, 2007 by tjgreen

[hoovermd 0]

I was crazy enough to try the Canon 85MM UW when there was no WA.

I had a blast taking pics of fish, lobster and octopi.

Not ideal mind you but 'twas fun!

 

I also experimented in Curacao with a CC20 red filter ans Cyan filters on the strobe.

 

I may play with both these combos again someday.