Sipadan / Mabul / Kapalai

[echeng 0]

REALLY fantastic shots, Craig.

 

Can you tell me what you did about white balance, with the filters? Did you WB the strobes with the filter combination? Or did you just WB later on in Photoshop, having shot something neutral underwater with the combo?

[dbh 0]

All my film-shooting friends

 

You mean you associate with film shooters! Ewwwwwwwwwwww!!

 

 

Excellent photos Craig!

[craig 0]

REALLY fantastic shots, Craig.

 

Can you tell me what you did about white balance, with the filters?  Did you WB the strobes with the filter combination?  Or did you just WB later on in Photoshop, having shot something neutral underwater with the combo?

 

I used complementary filters on the strobes, so white balance was basically uneffected. Without the strobe filters WB was touchy. What I settled on was 30 units of magenta plus 30 units of green on the strobes. Worked so good I didn't try anything else though I intended to.

 

What shows though the viewfinder is impressive as is the image preview afterward. No unusual color balance to correct at all but the water has a gemstone-like quality. The gel slows the camera a stop which is beneficial for sunrays (but still not enough for the D100).

 

You mean you associate with film shooters! Ewwwwwwwwwwww!!

 

Most of my local group is film, although I'm basically converting them all! I brought all three rigs to the contest and loaned two out permanently.

[meister 1]

Fabulous!

[Ryan 48]

How much USM has been applied to those sunrays? It doesn't look like much.

 

I love how there is almost no cyan banding in those shots. Craig, when you are ready to teach a class to pro phtographers about using filters, there will be more than a few lining up to pay.

[craig 0]

Typical USM. I didn't do anything special with it for the sunrays. Here's a 100% crop. I didn't touch the sunball up at all and it could be improved I suppose. A slightly faster strobe sync or stronger gel may have helped, too.

[davep 0]

Craig -

 

All of those shots are amazing! I especially like the macros. Is there any resource that discusses complimentary filter usage? I have a lot to learn...

[craig 0]

Craig -  

 

... Is there any resource that discusses complimentary filter usage?  I have a lot to learn...

 

Not yet.

 

Thanks.

[mexwell 0]

@craig

 

I hope you will write something... [hint, hint]

 

I love your pics and always wonder what the pic would look like without those different "red" filters?!

 

Can you give us filter-beginners some information to get a good start and dont ruin to much dives by using the wrong material?

 

Geetz

 

Christian

[james 0]

Here is a good article to get you started:

 

http://www.wetpixel.com/module-pagesetter-...-1-pid-31.phtml

 

Cheers

James

[lanxx 0]

Craig, may I know how you attach the filter holder to the Inon strobes?

which model of the Lee filter holder did you use?

 

Also, anyone know where I can get the cheapest CC30M filter in the states?

 

thanks

[craig 0]

Craig, may I know how you attach the filter holder to the Inon strobes?

which model of the Lee filter holder did you use?

 

Also, anyone know where I can get the cheapest CC30M filter in the states?

 

thanks

 

Marine Camera sells a Cokin P filter holder that has been modified to attached to the strobes. I modified a Lee filter holder ring and use the Lee holders instead. Cokin P filters are much less expensive than Lee's. B&H is a good source for filters in the US. You may need to plan on some long lead times on the strobe filters.

[caveman 0]

Well done. Its definately an inspitation !

[Ponsui 0]

WOW! Great pics Craig.

 

Did you use your filter copmbo on the macros too?

 

Peace,

David

[craig 0]

Thanks. No filters were used for macro.

[lanxx 0]

Marine Camera sells a Cokin P filter holder that has been modified to attached to the strobes.  I modified a Lee filter holder ring and use the Lee holders instead.  Cokin P filters are much less expensive than Lee's.  B&H is a good source for filters in the US.  You may need to plan on some long lead times on the strobe filters.

 

ok, Thanks Craig for the heads-up.

I gotten the Cokin P holder, but could you enlighten me on

how this can be attached to the D180 or Z220?

 

thanks again

[craig 0]

Marine Camera sells modified ones, but I believe all they do is drill a couple of holes and screw them onto the diffuser mount. That's what I do with the Lee filter ring. I bought some stainless allen head bolts for that purpose.

[red3 0]

stunning pics.....the macros are amazing.......I am doing a Guadalupe shark trip in about 10 days. Cage diving so the depth will be limited (10ft max). the water is fairly clear. Do you think it is worth using the filters at these shallow depths and if so what would u recomend? I have a d70 in an ike housing, 10.5mm, 12-24mm, and 60mm macro with 2 ds125's.

[craig 0]

No, there's no reason to consider strobe or lens filters at Guadalupe. Just returned from that trip about a month ago. You will want to use one strobe only or even no strobes in order to move around better. A bigger strobe is better and, as you said, the water is pretty clear and already blue.

[lanxx 0]

Craig, must we use only CC30M filters? can it be cc20, cc40...?

How do you go about deciding which is the best suited?

 

Also, for the strobe cc30G filter, if my waters here are more greenish the blue, should I use the cc30B instead?

 

So filters are only for wide angle.how about macro?

[Rattus 0]

Lanxx,

 

I've only used filters on the back of my fisheye, not infront of my strobe, but I understand the technique. The idea is to transform the light from the strobe to be green like the the sunlight filtered through the water. You then use the camera filter to remove much of that green.

 

This means that the more green the water is, the MORE green filteration is desirable on the strobe, not less. Remember its the magenta filter that removes the green from the water and leaves the lovely blue, not the green filter on the strobe. That just stops the foreground going bright magenta.

 

Hope that helps

 

Martyn

 

P.S. Stunning images Craig and so many keepers!

[Angelemm25 0]

Hello,

 

I am a new member on the list but I have been a reader for long time. And here is my first question.

First, I would like to congratulate Craig for the pictures : the macros are very, very impressive.

Would you please tell me if you shot with the RAW mode, if you used filters on your lens (and wich ones) and finally if you used some special processing with Photoshop?

 

I had a look on the pictures posted by James on another topic and they look like more "normal". Would you explain me the difference between you and James because it seems you use the same lens?

 

Thank you very much for your help

Angie

[red3 0]

I hted collecting some filters for my 12-24mm and my 10.5. The 10.5 is easy as it only has the gel holder in the rear of the lens. The 12-24 is a little more complicated in that it has threads for the filters.

 

You suggest not using the tiffen cc30m because of its sandwich design. Can you suggest another manufacturer as they seem to be the only one that I can find on the web?

 

Also, do you stack the filter with a warming filter (FL-D etc)? Does this creat a problem with vingetting? Flare?....

 

I ordered the Green filters for my strobes about two months ago and have yet to recieve them and there is no end in sight. would you recommend still using the magenta and warming filters without the green filters on the strobes? would you recommend not using the strobes at all,with the magenta filter in place, until the green filters arrive?

 

The quality of the photos that you have posted are awe insipiring and I hope that you someday consider writing a book on the subject...

[craig 0]

I would not recommend using the magenta lens filters without the green strobe filters. They take a while to get in. I've tried it but its too difficult to get the strobe exposure right.

 

You can use the Tiffen filters for threadons. No one else makes threadon CC filters than I'm aware of. The B&W FL-W is and alternative. Very little warming there.

 

I lean toward not combining warming with magenta filters. I use warming filters now for ambient shots and magenta for strobe shots in combination with strobe filters only.