Mediterannean dive

[kactusficus]

hello!

I just wanted to share some pics I made yesterday, during a dive in the Mediterranean sea, just next to Nice, on the French Riviera.
It's been told the Mediterranean sea is not that interesting for diving, but I can tell it's certainly not the case, if you're not looking for bright blue 20" tangs, of course!
I had a problem with my gear, so we went not very far, and I saw very beautiful animals! Can't wait to do some more, and meet the gorgonians, the squids, the morrays... it's a so rich fauna there!

So this thread is just to encourage people to take the time for a dive or two, if they're coming on holidays around our area!

cheers
sabine

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[kactusficus]

some more images...

 

[fatrip]

wow...great pics...what kinda fish is that in the second to last picture?? looks like some kind of wrasse maybe?

 

[zibba]

Sabine - those are amazing photos! What depth were you diving at and what equipment were you using to take the pictures?

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Neat, great job!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12849324#post12849324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fatrip
wow...great pics...what kinda fish is that in the second to last picture?? looks like some kind of wrasse maybe?

I'm fairly certain that is a slug.

 

[kactusficus]

hello!

Thanks for your interest!

Fatrip, if it's the right image I thing you're talking about, it's a nudibranch, as Titusvilesurfer was guessing, it's a Chromodoris, I don't have the exact specie, but it lives only around this area! I was happy to spot it!

Zibba, thanks! The depth was from the surface to 22 meters, we dive from the shore, and I can tell you there's plenty of gobies and blennies to watch in around one meter depth!
The cave, with all the colors, was around 20 meters.
I use Canon G9 camera, a compact one because I don't have the money to buy the Housing for my DSLR... So it's Canon G9 + Canon housing, no external strobe, only the small internal flash, and no other lens accessory... simple gear, for simple pics... Hope I would be able to bring my DSLR someday under water, should be soooo nice!!

cheers,
sabine

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow! Those pics look absolutely great!

I wasn't expecting to hear it was a point and shoot!

With the housing at only $180, thats a great deal for shooting underwater. I may have to spring for that if I keep diving.

Brandon

 

[fatrip]

this pic is a nudi? form this angle it looks like a fish...hummm...

 

[crazedpuffer]

It does look like afish, but if you look a little closer it is a top down shot of a nudibranch.

 

[iriejp1]

He's upside down...and I'm guesing those two blue dots on the left side are his antennae...

 

[red13miller]

Awesome pics!

 

[Xavier613]

Very nice, i love the colors in all of those

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12863437#post12863437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Wow! Those pics look absolutely great!

I wasn't expecting to hear it was a point and shoot!

With the housing at only $180, thats a great deal for shooting underwater. I may have to spring for that if I keep diving.

Brandon

Don't worry they are probably photoshopped a bit. They look great.

 

[kactusficus]

Hello!
thanks for your comments!
Yes, the pic of the blue and yellow animal is a nudibranch, a chromodoris only encountered in this area, I was quite excited to see one! It's very thin and elegant, looks a lot like the tropical ones, but it's slimmer.

About Photoshop, I use the white balance correction and the level tool for the contrast. Actually, these ones are barely retouched, because with the combination of the internal small flash and the "underwater" mode, in macro shots, it looked quite appropriate without photoshop. But I agree that I do have problems when I do wider angles, because the blue tones get very annoying for the right balance, and the images looks "dull" as well, it must be highlighted and contrasted to be at their best possible

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12916901#post12916901 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kactusficus
Hello!
thanks for your comments!
Yes, the pic of the blue and yellow animal is a nudibranch, a chromodoris only encountered in this area, I was quite excited to see one! It's very thin and elegant, looks a lot like the tropical ones, but it's slimmer.

About Photoshop, I use the white balance correction and the level tool for the contrast. Actually, these ones are barely retouched, because with the combination of the internal small flash and the "underwater" mode, in macro shots, it looked quite appropriate without photoshop. But I agree that I do have problems when I do wider angles, because the blue tones get very annoying for the right balance, and the images looks "dull" as well, it must be highlighted and contrasted to be at their best possible

That is why I love shooting in raw! You can play with all the computer generated settings after the fact! Really helps in learning your camera, oh well this worked better on that picture. Then you can set that on your camera next time.

 

[kactusficus]

That's already done, I work only with raw file for long now, but I was telling about regular PSD tools for the people who doesn't
For sure, Raw are far far far better for settings without quality deperdition!

 

[stdreb27]

Your photos are excellent.