 Printer-Friendly | Back  For the underwater photographer, nudibranchs are the jewels of the sea. They are excellent subject material with their bright colors, peculiar shapes, and a predisposition to hold very still. It is surprising how many underwater photographers, however, come back with flat and largely uninteresting images. There are some things you can do to punch up your nudibranch photos to give them that impact they deserve.MACRO MODE Nudibranchs are rarely more than a few centimeters in length, especially in California waters. Obviously you are going to want to photograph the nudibranch in an extreme close-up mode (macro). Get close, really close. If possible, fill the frame with your subject. Use basic composition techniques to make your photos more interesting. For nudibranchs, the “rule of thirds” works well placing the main subject of your photo, usually the nudibranch’s face, off center in the frame. Remember to adjust your focus accordingly. DEPTH OF FIELD Get low and shoot from the front of the nudibranch’s face to throw the rear of the nudibranch out of focus. Use a wider lens aperture for a narrower depth of field. This will make your nudibranch appear larger than it really is and pop out in a 3-D effect. USE A STAGE If you want a truly dramatic photo you will need to get the nudibranch in front of the right background, perhaps even posing. While this is difficult, it is possible. You need a stage. This technique takes a lot of patience. You will want your nudibranch on a small rock, seashell, or blade of kelp. Since they are only rarely found on these easy-to-handle bits you will need to put one in front of them and let them take their own sweet time in getting onboard. Under no circumstances should you handle the nudibranch as this could kill them. Once on the stage you can easily manipulate shooting angles with one hand and click the shutter with the other hand. Some nudibranchs, especially the Spanish shawl, you can actually get to “pose.” Break off a small sprig of seaweed and wave it in front of the nudibranch’s face. Odds are they will reach out to take a taste. Lift up the seaweed up a bit and the nudibranch will continue to reach and, with a bit of practice, you can get the nudibranch to “pose.” BRACKET YOUR EXPOSURES Nudibranchs come is a wide variety of colors and hues. Some are a dark rich purple and others bright yellow or white. There is no one single automatic or manual exposure that will just right for all. To bring out the colors just right, you will need to bracket your exposures and you will be photographing them in numerous types of backgrounds that can throw off your auto-exposure. Bracket, bracket and bracket some more. PLAY WITH LIGHTING RATIOS AND SIDE LIGHTING It is tempting to photograph nudibranchs with just a straight on even light, especially with dual strobes. For maximum color, this is usually correct. But nudibranchs usually have excellent texture as well. To bring that out try some side lighting or, with dual strobes, give one strobe more power than the other. You’ll be surprised at the drama it adds to the photo. Nudibranchs are not challenging subjects to photograph. What can be challenging, however, is to photograph them in a way that is stunning. Be open to modifying your techniques and spending more time with each subject for the best results. Dale Sheckler is the editor and publisher of California Diving News and the co-author of the book Southern California’s Best Beach Dives. © Copyright 2007, all rights reserve, by Saint Brendan Corporation, P.O. Box 11231, Torrance CA 90510, mail@cadivingnews.com. No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system/website, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this publication/website are opinions of the individual writers. The publishers of California Diving News and its contributors assume no responsibility for any mishap claimed to be a result of use of this material. Diving is an adventure sport and with it comes inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or improper diving techniques may result in serious injury or, in extreme circumstances, death. Readers are admonished to use their own best judgement in each individual situation. |
