10 Amazing Photos from Friends of the Guide

All Photos Taken this Spring: March - May, 2013

Feature by Brent Durand with photos by Various Artists (in no particular order). Commentary by UWPG publisher Scott Gietler

Welcome to UWPG's second collection of photos in the "Friends of the Guide" series. We received submissions from many photographers with great images shot this past spring, including wide-angle, macro, quick-action, rare critters and creative camera/lighting techniques. It was tough to select our favorite images and we hope these serve as inspiration for your next dive. I'm certainly inspired!

Amazing Underwater Photo #1

Harlequin Shrimp by Marco Maccarelli, Tulamben (Bali)

Unique, outstanding presentation of a commonly photographed macro subject. RAW file was verified - not done in photoshop!

Harlequin Shrimp by Marco Maccarelli. Shot with homemade snoot. Canon 50D in Sea & Sea Housing, 1/250, F-14, Iso 100. Marco Maccarelli.

Amazing Underwater Photo #2

Catfish Tornado by Victor Tang, Jepun in Padany Bai (Bali)

Juvenile catfish are common, but this formation is a once in a lifetime find!

Catfish Tornado by Victor Tang. Nikon D300 in Seatool Housing, Twin Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobes, Tokina 10-17 FIsheye at 17mm, ISO200, F9 at 1/80s. Wodepigu Water Pixel.

Amazing Underwater Photo #3

Spotted Xenia Coral Pipefish by Mike Bartick, Twin Rocks in Anilao (Philippines)

Gorgeous photo of an extremely rare and beautiful macro subject. The mushroom coral pipefish is more common.

Spotted xenia coral pipefish by Mike Bartick. While working with my guide, looking for solar powered Nudis in the Xenia coral, something neither of us had seen before appeared before us, a spotted xenia coral pipefish. The Siokunichthys herrei as confirmed by Dr. Gerry Alan, are both cryptic and fast moving which makes it a very tough subject to photograph. The subtle spots on its head helped them blend in so well that it was even hard to track with our eyes let alone frame it properly. Nikon D300s, Nikor 105mm, +5 Diopter, dual YS-D1 strobes low power. F18, 1/125. www.saltwaterphoto.com

Amazing Underwater Photo #4

Pelagic polychaete by Jeffrey Milisen, Kona (Hawaii)

Simply stunning. You never know what you will see on a black-water dive in Kona!

Pelagic polychaete by Jeffrey Milisen. A polychaete worm searches through the nighttime pelagic ocean for prey while on a blackwater dive offshore from Kona, Hawaii. Canon T1i, Ikelite housing/strobes, Canon 60mm, F/13 1/125 ISO 800. Milisen Photography

Amazing Underwater Photo #5

Dorado by Peter Allinson, Cancun (Mexico)

Also known as mahi-mahi - perfectly exposed and composed. Many photographers would love to have this photo on their wall.

Dorado by Peter Allinson. Shot while freediving on a marlin/dorado trip about 10 miles off the coast of Cancun, Mexico. Nikon D800E, Nikkor 16-35 @35mm, 1/320, F9, ISO 500, natural light. www.pallinsonimages.com

Amazing Underwater Photo #6

Polycera quadrilineata by Christian Skauge, Norway

A lovely nudibranch shot that really pops.

Nudibranch by Christian Skauge. A Polycera quadrilineata nudibranch posing at the edge of a kelp frond. Captured at the Nudibranch Safari at Gulen Dive Resort, Norway. Nikon D90 in Nauticam housing, 105 mm + 1.4x TC, 2 x Inon Z-240 strobes, 1/160 sec, f/29, ISO 250. www.scubapixel.com.

Amazing Underwater Photo #7

Pygmy Pipehorse by Ken Thongpila, Sydney (Australia)

It is difficult to show off such a well-camouflaged creature, but Ken's photo does it well.

Pygmy Pipehorse by Ken Thongpila. Pygmy Pipehorse is one of Sydney's rare critters. Very well camouflaged and very hard to spot. Bare Island, Botany Bay, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Canon 500D with Sea&Sea RDX-500 Housing, 2 x INON Z240 Strobes, 60mm Macro
F-13 1/100 ISO 200. www.aboutken.com and Underwater Macro Photographers.

Amazing Underwater Photo #8

Sweetlips School by Ludovic Galko-Rundgren, Raja Ampat (Indonesia)

Schooling sweetlips don't get much better than this. The photographer was most likely very calm and patient to capture such a shot.

Sweetlips School by Ludovic Galko-Rundgren. 40m down at the famous dive site Cape Kri, (Raja Ampat, Indonesia) a well tended sweetlip school was sitting on a bommie like books on a shelf.
EOS7D, Tokina10-17 lens, Nauticam NA7D housing + 2 Inon Z240 strobes
ISO 200 1/160 f/10.

Amazing Underwater Photo #9

Siqi by Wendy Capili-Wilkie, Palau

What an elegant photo! A great example of the creativity to be found in the pool.

Siqi by Wendy Capili-Wilkie. I was just experimenting with model photography in the pool, and came up with this nice reflection and lighting.
Nikon D800 + Nikon 16-35mm at 16mm in Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite 160s
ISO 200 f14 1/200. Wendy on Flickr

Amazing Underwater Photo #10

"I've got my Eye on You" by Ron Watkins, California

I can't stop looking at this dramatic, well composed blue shark photo.

Blue shark by Ron Watkins. Off the coast of Long Beach on the Sea Watch Shark Boat with Captain Chris Wade on the Bluewater Photo trip, we encountered this beautiful 9' Blue Shark.  My first time free diving with these majestic animals was surreal and lasted for about 30 minutes. F8, 1/200, ISO 200, 10-17mm, Single YS-250 Strobe. www.scubarews.com

Do you have what it takes?

The next Friends of the Guide photo essay will feature photos shot June - August, 2013. Email brent@uwphotographyguide.com with a link to your online portfolio for more details.

Further Reading

• 10 Amazing Photos Shot Winter '12/13

• The Ultimate Macro Critter List

• 5 Critters you Must See in the Indo-Pacific

Where to Buy

Please support the Underwater Photography Guide by purchasing your underwater photography gear through our sister site, Bluewater Photo & Video. Click, or call them at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!