Most underwater photographers hug the reef up to a depth of 60 feet. Within this zone we find many of the small critters that make our photo experiences in macro photography so rewarding. Most underwater photographers know how to shoot macro. Macro is actually a no-brainer. The auto-this and auto-that features on our new digital cameras and TTL strobes have made macro photography extremely easy to master.

But on occasion we do encounter the big ones. Wrecks, whales, sharks, schools of fish, etc...who doesn’t want to take pictures of them? To get the big picture, the right equipment is required, namely a wide-angle lens.

No matter what camera/strobe system you are using, you need a lens that will take in the whole subject. You can do it, and do it well, with a point and shoot, and of course, you can do it with a housed SLR.

Best results will be achieved if your point-and-shoot camera has the ability to attach a wide conversion lens equivalent to at least a 17mm wide lens and the compatible external strobe is capable of automated power/manual settings. For your SLR housed auto focus camera, select a wide-angle lens equivalent to at least a 16mm, a dome port and a strobe with at least 105° beam angle.

Below are six images. I took the first three with housed SLR systems. Cara took the next three in La Paz with the Sea & Sea DX8000G. Beneath each picture is a short explanation how the shot was taken.

#1 Camera: Nikon D80 Lens: 10.5mm fisheye Exposure mode: Manual Aperture: F/8 Shutter speed:1/125 sec. ISO: 100 Housing: Ikelite Strobe: Ikelite DS-125 set to TTL Slave: Sea & Sea YS-90 at 1/2 power Camera-to-subject distance: Approx. 7 feet	#2 Camera: Fuji S2Pro Lens: 16mm Exposure mode: Program ISO: 200 Housing: Sea & Sea Camera-to-subject distance: Approx. 4 feet Light: Ambient
#3 Camera: Nikon D80 Lens: 10.5mm fisheye Exposure mode: Manual Aperture: F/5.6 Shutter speed:1/125 sec. ISO: 100 Housing: Ikelite Strobe: Ikelite DS-125 set to TTL Camera-to-subject distance: 1 foot	#4 Camera: Sea & Sea DX-8000 Lens: 17mm conversion lens Exposure mode: P (Program) ISO: 200 Camera-to-subject distance: 3 to 5 feet Light: Ambient
#5 Camera: Sea & Sea DX-8000 Lens: Built in Exposure mode: P (Program) ISO: 200 Camera-to-subject distance: Approx. 4 feet Light: Ambient	#6 Camera: Sea & Sea DX-8000 Lens: 17mm conversion lens Exposure mode: A/M (Manual) Aperture: F/8 Shutter speed: Auto ISO: 200 Camera-to-subject distance: Approx. 4 feet Strobe: YS-90A

Tips:
Get in as close as possible to the subject. If you are too far from your subject, it look small, indistinct, and lost in the background.

The greater the distance, the less strobe light will illuminate the subject. Strobe light must travel from the strobe to the subject and back to the camera. No matter how powerful your strobe, it won’t be effective beyond six or seven feet. Beyond seven feet ambient light will predominate.

Position your external strobe/strobes at least 18 inches from the side of the housing at a 45° angle and slightly behind the housing port. Never put the strobe/strobes in front of the port when shooting wide-angle. Doing so will produce backscatter. The strobe/strobes should be parallel to the port unless a slight tweak inward is required to illuminate the subject properly.

A strobe in TTL mode will usually provide a good exposure for close-focus wide-angle images. However, you should not depend on TTL for all types of wide angle shots. Shoot manual mode. Use your camera’s light meter to take a meter reading. Set your f/stop and shutter speed accordingly. Check the image in your LCD. If the exposures are off, adjust aperture and/or strobe position as required.

If you have problems that you cannot solve, I give photo lessons. Call me at 949-448-0499.

We are now accepting reservations for La Paz October 3–8, 2007 trip. We have reserved a block of seats on Alaska Airlines with a special discounted group fare rate. We have 10 seats available. First come first served. Reserve your spot while the price is right!

You are cordially invited to attend a Palau Reunion Potluck & Picture Party Saturday evening, April 28th at 7 pm at Liburdi’s Scuba Center, Costa Mesa. We promise a few hours of great food, good people, and inspiring underwater pictures. Bring a dish. Bring a friend. Since I’ve “retired” I really look forward to seeing you again at these get-togethers.

We got a very positive response to last month’s Party Poopers and thought we’d address a few more.

Hangover You know you shouldn’t but sometimes you do: drink too much. The result, in medical terms, is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. In layman’s language, it’s a hangover. The next morning you feel queasy, fatigued, and headachy. You shouldn’t dive that way, you know. First, don’t get yourself into that predicament. Limit your alcohol intake to two drinks and eat (food slows the alcohol absorption and inhibits low blood sugar). Alternate drinking two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink. In the morning, drink a glass of Gatorade to replace potassium and magnesium that are depleted by alcohol, or several glasses of water. Take ibuprofen, such as Motrin, and rest, don’t dive till later in the day when you’re feeling better.

Sunburn Cover up and slather your skin with sunscreen. If it’s too late to prevent it, treat it with aloe vera gel and take ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation and pain. Apply cool compresses of equal parts milk and water to soothe the hot skin. Drink a lot of water.

Ear Ache I think every diver has experienced it, that sharp pain in your ear when you’re descending and can’t equalize. You were taught in open water class to ascend a few feet and try clearing again. The Eustachian tube, which helps maintain equal pressure between the outer and inner ear, malfunctions by swelling or being blocked by mucus, leaving you with a piercing pain. Prevention: keep congestion to a minimum by drinking hot herbal tea and avoid sinus irritants like smoke and boat fumes. Use a saline nasal rinse to wash away irritants like dust, pollen, bacteria. If you have that stuffy feeling and want to dive, take a Sudafed to shrink the inflamed sinus passages and relieve pressure on the Eustachian tubes. This is not an approved medical recommendation, but FYI, we take one Sudafed tablet an hour before diving as a prophylactic measure.

Source: Scuba Diving Magazine. December 2006.

DAN Dive Safety and Medical Information Line (919) 684-2948
DAN 24-Hour Emergency Hotline (919) 684-4DAN

Entertainment. See for yourself: www.joeliburdi.com/entertainment.htm