Archive for November, 2009

Reality Check

Mon, Nov 23rd, 2009  |   Musings, People, Places, Adventures 2 Comments

It’s been a hectic couple of days getting ready for the first group of people who’ll be getting on Golden Dawn with me. Captain Craig and the crew have been busy prepping the boat, and I’ve been helping out where I can. Everything’s looking good, and we’ll be picking passengers up at the airport and from Lololata Island Resort tomorrow.

In the midst of all the activity, Craig took me to see a little girl he’s been helping. Her name is Gaudi. She has meningitis…an infection that affects the outside of the brain. Gaudi just turned one year old recently, and she’s been sick for about four months.

Gaudi’s father Naume asked Craig for help when his daughter fell ill, and Craig, being the incredibly nice guy he is, has been sending money for the past four months…without ever having seen Gaudi.

Given that Craig has paid a lot of money over the past four months, you’d think Gaudi’s family were long-time friends of his. No. Craig met Naume, Gaudi’s father, only about a year ago. Craig had a bit of car trouble, and Naume happened to wander by with some mates and helped out. Naume catches and sells crabs for a living, so Craig has been buying crabs from him ever since.

That was the extent of their relationship.

Craig visited Gaudi in the hospital for the first time about ten days ago, and as he described it, was heartbroken by the sight. Little Gaudi was frozen stiff in pain, entirely unable to function.

When I saw her today, she was better. There was recognition in her eyes, and she even grabbed my finger…holding tight, if only for a moment. She’s still weak, but the medicine that Craig’s been paying for is apparently working. Gaudi is getting better.

It’s easy to get absorbed in our own lives, our own problems…all the tasks at hand. But experiences like this are a vital reality check…a reminder of the importance of helping other people. I’m not sure how much longer it’ll take for Gaudi to get better, but Craig’s committed to seeing her through to recovery.

AlI told, I spent about half an hour with Naume and his family at the hospital. I put together this little video for Craig to show passengers on Golden Dawn, in case any of his clients decide to chip in for Gaudi’s medicine. The people who were on Craig’s last cruise contributed about US$170, which will go a long way to sustaining Gaudi through her recovery.

The Vision Thing

Fri, Nov 20th, 2009  |   Equipment, Technique, Marine Life, Places, Adventures 2 Comments

I’ve just landed in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, and have a couple of days before I get on MV Golden Dawn. Haven’t slept much over the past 72 hours, so in theory, I should crash, but I’m too wired to sleep, and I have an enormous backlog of correspondence and work, as well as scientific documents to read (that should put me to sleep!).

Anyway, while I’m in this semi-conscious, semi-zombie state, I thought it might be worth elaborating a bit more on the vision theme.

I wrote about this topic in my recent article in Wetpixel Quarterly and also in my King Kong crab post a couple of days ago.

In essence, one of the main points I try to get across in workshops, trips with other people and such, is that sometimes what you see is more important than what’s actually there.

Here’s an example of what I mean:

nudibranch

Similar to the thought process I outlined in my post about the King Kong crab, this photo is more of a “this is what I want you to see” than “this is what I saw” image.

What I actually saw was a cute little nudibranch sitting in good afternoon light. What I wanted you to see was a majestic, almost magical animal that popped out from a dark, somewhat ominous Lembeh-esque background.

Whether I succeeded or not is a matter of interpretation, but my point is that if you want to take original photos, it’s often worth pausing to consider the artistic possibilities.

Had I placed one strobe to the right, one strobe to the left, set appropriate shutter, aperture and ISO for a technically correct exposure, no doubt I would have taken a nice photo of an attractive nudibranch, but that’s more of a technical exercise than an artistic endeavour.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with taking technically spot-on, accurate images. You need to be able to do that without even thinking about it.

But occasionally, when circumstances permit (such as with a non-moving nudibranch), it’s nice to challenge yourself to see something that other people might not see…and then show them.

Oh…one other thing. Nine times out of 10, when I try something different, it doesn’t turn out the way I wanted, or ends up not looking as nice as I envisioned. Sometimes that’s due to a bad concept; other times, it’s because I wasn’t able to work out technical execution. Doesn’t really matter though, because the one time out of 10 that everything works…I end up with something I really like.

In short…you can’t get to the one without going through the first nine.

Night Life

Thu, Nov 19th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures, Trips, Workshops No Comments

I only had a chance to do one night dive during my stay in Lembeh. I could’ve done more, but I was too tired at the end of every day. Muscles aching, joints creaking, eyelids drooping…

Of course, the one day that I managed to do four dives, I saw a lot at night. There were many cephalopods on the prowl, like this little octopus that seemed truly surprised to see me:

octopus

and an adorable little bobtail squid…sound asleep until my strobes went off:

bobtail squid

The cutest crustaceans I came across had to be this little crab couple. The one on the left encircling the one plunked down in the sand was always protective of the other crab, and literally “hugged” the other crab every time they moved.

crabs

I suspect the cuddler was a male, and the cuddlee a female. Perhaps I’m imagining things, but it sure seemed like the crab I thought to be the male kept communicating: “She’s mine! She’s mine!” every time I got anywhere close.

I didn’t know how to reassure him by saying: “Not interested” in crab-language though. In any case, they were adorable.

Diving at night presents some unique opportunities to observe and photograph the residents of Lembeh, as the critters active after dark tend to be different than the ones during the day. There’s also a lot of courtship and mating activity that takes place in the early part of the evening, which is always fun to watch.

I’m really looking forward to my next trip to Lembeh, which will be for The Night Safari planned for 27 February to 6 March 2010, when we’ll spend a large proportion of time diving at night. The resort will be on a night schedule, so we’ll have all the logistical support we need to have an enjoyable time…like having hot chocolate after dives!

While at Kasawari this trip, I also arranged to have big lights for us to hang during The Night Safari above the water to get squid (and perhaps other stuff?) to come close, so we can watch them hunt and hopefully get some cool images and video.

If you’re a muck, critter and night diving fan, consider joining us for this unique opportunity to party the night away…Lembeh style.

See this post, or contact Sanah or David at Scubacam for more details.

King Kong Crab

Wed, Nov 18th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 16 Comments

I’ve been struggling for some time now to find a way to take an interesting photo of what I call the “King Kong” crab…for lack of a better name. (Does anyone know the binomial name for this crab?)

This dark-maroon, velvety-textured crustacean is about the most un-photogenic (read: “butt ugly”) animal I’ve ever come across. This is the reason I set myself the challenge of creating a captivating image of this crab…to underscore the point that photography is art. In this case, the art of making this homely critter look intriguing.

So I as stared at this odd-looking animal, I thought of King Kong, and I imagined how this creature might have been portrayed in a King Kong movie. Here’s what I came up with:

king kong crab

What I saw in my mind’s eye was King Kong towering on the craggly rocks of a remote island, surveying his dominion, with the evening sun in the background framing his imposing figure (never mind that the crab is only a few centimetres tall).

Shortly after taking this picture, I came across another crab, this specimen nestled in among the polyps of a soft coral organism. Again, with King Kong in mind, I took the photo below imagining the great beast lurking among exotic trees in a primeval forest, poised to leap out and ambush unwary explorers.

king kong crab

Photography can be much more than just documenting what you see. It can be creating what you imagine…for others to see.

Oh…in case you’re wondering…yes, my mind wanders to strange, distant places all the time.

Poor Little Fish

Tue, Nov 17th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 4 Comments

I just can’t seem to get away from the hunting and eating theme.

During my first dive this morning, I heard my dive guide Nonsix shouting my name (in muffled underwater-speak), and turned to see that a lizardfish had just snagged a little puffer:

lizardfish eating pufferfish

The pufferfish, being understandably unhappy with the sudden turn of events, tried to escape. The little fish nearly broke free, but the hungry predator re-captured it in short order:

lizardfish eating pufferfish

It took a while, but the lizardfish managed to swallow its meal in the end, despite the fact that the pufferfish stayed inflated the entire time:

lizardfish eating pufferfish

Incidentally, a group of divers from the United States who are also here at Kasawari saw a flounder eat a mimic octopus this morning.

I wasn’t anywhere near them, so it’s not just stuff around me that’s getting eaten!

Mimic Octopus

Mon, Nov 16th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 9 Comments

Unlike the past couple of days, I didn’t see any dramatic hunting or eating behaviour today, but I did have a chance to spend some quality time with a very active mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus).

mimic octopus

In case you’re not familiar with them, these talented octopuses are known for their ability to mimic other animals, perhaps as a means of camouflage or self-defence. In any case, they have an incredible repertoire, and are a perennial favourite among divers visiting Lembeh.

mimic octopus

If you visit Lembeh and are fortunate enough to see one of these incredible cephalopods, please keep in mind that they are bottom dwellers…meaning that they most likely don’t enjoy being thrown into the water column, where they’re out of their element and vulnerable to predators.

Think of it this way: If some strange being came down to earth, picked you up, and repeatedly threw you into the air to take pictures of you…I doubt you’d be too happy about it.

Poor Little Crab

Sun, Nov 15th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 3 Comments

Yesterday…female hairy frogfish eating male hairy frogfish.

Today…octopus in a shell capturing and eating a crab.

octopus eating crab

The crab was alive and struggling, but soon after I took this photo, the octopus wrapped its mantle over the crab and devoured the crunchy treat.

A Valuable Lesson

Sat, Nov 14th, 2009  |   Equipment, Technique, Marine Life 8 Comments

I suppose this comes as no surprise, but my first day of diving in Lembeh was terrific. Nudibranchs, octopuses, frogfish, Rhinopias…a nice sampling of the fascinating critters that have made this area world-renowned.

Among the encounters I had today, one in particular stands out.

This is picture of a female hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus). When I took this photo, she was clearly hungry, as she unfolded her worm-like lure and started wiggling it around, fishing for a meal…as frogfish do.

frogfish

This is a picture of the same female hairy frogfish just moments later. In front of her is a smaller, darker hairy frogfish…a male. Given their proximity, the male may have been a suitor hoping to mate with the female.

frogfish

There was, however, just one minor problem with his plan.

Seconds after I took this photo, the female ate the little guy. Seriously.

Gulp. Swallow. Burp. In the blink of an eye…without the slightest hint of guilt or remorse.

Guys…surely there’s a valuable lesson here for us.

Related Post: A Very Hungry Frogfish

Bryde’s Whale

Fri, Nov 13th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 7 Comments

I’ve just arrived at Kasawari Lembeh Resort, and I’m getting ready to get some sleep to rest up for a full day of diving tomorrow (hurray!). Before I hit the sack, I thought I’d post one final set of images from Ogasawara…a couple of photographs of Bryde’s whales.

Our final day in Ogasawara was a beautiful one…winds calm, sun bright, water a perfect blue…but not a sperm whale in sight. After we had cruised around for several hours without much to show for our efforts, keen-eyed Julia Sumerling spotted something far off in the distance.

We lost whatever it was, then saw it again, then wandered around semi-aimlessly…and eventually, late in the afternoon, we zeroed in enough to see that Julia had spotted a pair of elusive Bryde’s whales (pronounced “brooda’s” whales).

There are at least two species of Bryde’s whales, Balaenoptera brydei and Balaenoptera edeni. According to the captain and his wife, the pair we came across were the latter.

I believe that encounters with Bryde’s whales are rare. They certainly are in Ogasawara. Makoto-san has been working with cetaceans in Ogasawara for over 20 years, and this was only his second encounter. Tomoko-san had never seen a Bryde’s whale in local waters.

whale

The pair was travelling at high speed, spending a lot of time submerged, coming up for a few short breaths before diving again.

Though obviously together, the pair didn’t stay with one another all the time. They split up and put quite a bit of distance between them on several occasions, which contributed to the difficulty of tracking them. Fast-moving, zig-zagging, submerged whales aren’t exactly easy to follow.

At one point, the pair pulled up alongside the boat. With crystal-clear visibility and bright sun overhead, we could see their entire bodies.

My first impression was: “Wow…beautiful.”

At roughly 12 metres in length, the Bryde’s whales were sleek, streamlined, refined. The best word I can think of to describe them is “elegant”.

By the time we had found the whales and managed to get close, it was late in the afternoon, so we weren’t able to track them for long. The chances for an in-water encounter were slim, given their high-speed and general elusiveness, but after securing a few topside ID images, I suited up and waited for an opportunity to get in…which came just as we were about to give up.

One of the whales swam alongside, the captain dropped engine power, and in we went. The whale kept going, but when I dived down to get a better look, it turned and swam parallel to me for just a few brief seconds…long enough for me to take a handful of pictures…before it turned away and continued going wherever it was going.

The crater-like scars on the whale’s body (clearly visible in the image below) are probably from bites by cookie-cutter sharks, deep dwellers that make a living by carving out chunks of flesh from larger animals like this.

whale

My virgin experience seeing a Bryde’s whale in the water…a perfect end to a perfect trip.

Note: Photographs taken under permit.

Seven-arm Octopus

Tue, Nov 10th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 1 Comment

This is what’s left of a seven-arm octopus (Haliphron atlanticus). We came across a couple of these while in Ogasawara.

octopus

Seven-arm octopuses are the largest known octopus species, allegedly growing up to something like four metres in length and weighing 75kg! The ones we saw were from significantly smaller animals, as you can tell from this photo of my friend Tomoko-san photographing the floating blob:

octopus

Despite the common name, this octopus has eight arms, just like all other octopuses. The “seven-arm” name derives from the fact that the mating arm is coiled away and obscured from view in males…often giving it the appearance of having one less arm than it should.

In case you’re wondering, the octopus was slimy, and left behind a sticky film/ residue if you touched it (Of course…I had to touch it!). Otherwise, it was gelatinous and slippery, similar to what the bell of a large jellyfish feels like (Yes, I’ve touched those too).

I’m not sure if anyone knows for certain, but I suspect the bits we found floating at the surface were leftovers from sperm whale meals, or maybe from other deep-diving whales. Perhaps these octopuses don’t taste very good, and the whales spit them out? (No, I didn’t taste one).

Note: Incidentally, the plural of octopus is octopuses, not octopi. The word derives from Greek (okto+pous), not Latin, so the Latin plural form (ending in “i”) isn’t correct. Octopodes is ok too, but no one uses this word.

Choose Your Travel Companions With Care

Sun, Nov 8th, 2009  |   Funny Stuff, Marine Life, Places, Adventures 5 Comments

If you travel as frequently as I do, you learn to be careful about the people you associate with. I pride myself on being highly discriminating, choosing to fraternize only with individuals of the utmost sophistication and grace:

giant squid

People who, when confronted with a scientifically valuable discovery of a 351cm giant squid arm segment, would behave in a manner befitting the circumstances:

Though I must admit error in judgement from time to time, as during my most recent excursion, when imprudent choice of travel companions precipitated the need for me to undertake an impromptu ablution to expunge the unyielding aroma of decomposing cephalopod:

Article: The Photographic Eye

Sat, Nov 7th, 2009  |   Articles 3 Comments

fishThis is the most recent instalment of my column in Wetpixel Quarterly, called The Photographic Eye.

The subject of this issue’s column is Vision vs. Technology.

I love all the new gadgets and functionality that the camera manufacturers are cranking out these days, and I’m usually the first in line to play with new stuff. But what I try to highlight here is that it’s still the basics…vision, creativity, interpretation…that produce great images.

To paraphrase a pithy bit of wisdom I heard from another photographer: “99% of all equipment is better than 98% of all photographers.” So my point is, concentrate on getting into the 2%, instead of obsessing over the 99%.