Deepwater Gorgonians, BC, Canada

[newmanl 15]

Hi Folks,

 

To make a long story short, I finally got a chance to dive a site in Agamemnon Channel on the Sunshine Coast with gorgonian corals (Paragorgia pacifica). It was a thrill, for sure. Amazingly beautiful animals living in cold water (mostly) beyond the reach of sunlight. I was lucky in that I had a very capable model and plenty of gorgonians from which to select a good subject. The two images were taken in about 160' of water with a Canon 30D in an Ikelite housing with a Sigma 15 fish and a single DS-160 Ikelite strobe. Any comments, or suggestions for improvement, would be welcome!

 

Thanks

 

Lee

 

 

[puffin 0]

Lovely bright gorgonian. Try getting your model to look at the camera next time. Eye contact makes it more interesting.

 

Thanks for sharing

Edited September 16, 2010 by puffin

[Kimmeineche 0]

Hey Lee!

 

VERY nice pictures with brilliant colors!

Im not sure that I agree with Puffin.... I like it much better when the model is looking at the place were he put his light.... exactly like on your first pictrure. It really gives some action the picture.

 

Keep up the good work! :-)

 

Best regards from Kim Meineche! :-)

[Ryan 48]

Very cool. I've always wanted to dive there. Did you use a commercial op, or private boat?

[newmanl 15]

Hi Puffin, thanks for the comment. I'll try a frame or two with eye contact next time and see how that works.

 

Hi Kim, I tend to prefer to have the model looking where their light is pointed as well. It helps to make the pose more believeable for me as a viewer. Thanks also for the very generous comments.

 

Hi Ryan, thanks. We used a commerical operator to get to the site - luckily, one sympathetic to the dawdling nature of tech divers!

 

Lee

[bmyates 3]

Very nice! I like the first one best, both because the diver's light is on and for it's general composition. Well done!

[Jettbritnell 0]

Hey Ryan & Lee,

 

There are a couple dive operators that go there. Email me if you want info. Have done the dive many times myself over the years. Possible to dive it on one tank with a deco stop at 20 and 10 feet, or take a deco bottle on the dive. Dive is 160 feet, straight down and straight back up.

 

Nice shot, Lee. Here's one I took that made it on the cover of Northwest Dive News.

 

Coral Cover Shot

 

Best, Jett

[newmanl 15]

Hi Bruce, thanks for your generous comments!

 

Hi Jett, thanks for the comment and for the look at your cover shot - now I have more inspiration for future trips to the corals!

 

Lee

[Neil Fisher 1]

Very nice shots Lee!!

 

 

 

... though i thought you were tropic waters??

[newmanl 15]

Hey Neil,

 

There's an old saying that applies in my case, "When you're not near the one you love, love the one you're near."

 

Thanks for the comment on the photos!

 

Lee

[fireted 0]

Great shots Lee ! Love the colors and the deep black background !

[echeng 0]

Finally -- a diver-with-light photo where the dive light might actually be necessary in the environment pictured!

[acuevas 4]

Very nice photos.

 

If I can say something about how to improve them next time, I will say that if you can make your model use more colors other than black it'll make a difference.

I know that tech divers love to use all black, but a mask with some color or a blue 2 meter hose can make your model be more visible in the frame. The fusion dry suite is a good choice because it allows you to see the diver's arms.

Just my two cents.