Underwater pics from Norman Reef, QLD (9 pics total)

I know there's not too many people who post underwater photos but I thought I'd share anyhow. I did a 2 day liveaboard at norman reef this weekend. Here are some of the pics I took. Comments/criticism welcomed
Aaron

first is a nudibranch and the second is a gorgonian with a crinoid on top

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Looks great, the second one of the fan is awesome. did you use your powershot with an underwater housing

nudibranch and a crinoid (relative of sea star) with sunburst

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another nudibranch and a skunk clownfish in anemone

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sunrise yesterday morning and a crazy looking nudibranch

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and the last one a non-photosynthetic soft coral (maybe Scleronephthya sp.)

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Yeah, I do use my powershot with the underwater housing. It can do a pretty good job though I need to buy a strobe soon. I end up getting quite a bit of backscatter on shots due to the position of the flash. Macro shots are also hard because the housing cuts off part of the flash. Its truly a learning process, the pics are getting better which is the thing that makes me happy.
Aaron

Wow, looks like you had a great weekend! My favourite is the skunk clownfish in the anemone. Thanks for posting these great under water shots.

Hey Shoreliner,

Very nice underwater pics. I'm envious you've been underwater so recently. My last trip was almost 2 years ago. Hopefully we'll be back in the Caribbean later this summer. I have underwater photos taken with a G2 at www.pbase.com/dougstur​gess if you're interested. Some taken in Bonaire, Curacao, Cozumel & Tahiti. Keep in touch.

Doug Sturgess
Atlanta, GA

dougsturgess wrote:
Hey Shoreliner,

Very nice underwater pics. I'm envious you've been underwater so recently. My last trip was almost 2 years ago. Hopefully we'll be back in the Caribbean later this summer. I have underwater photos taken with a G2 at www.pbase.com/dougstur​gess if you're interested. Some taken in Bonaire, Curacao, Cozumel & Tahiti. Keep in touch.

Doug Sturgess
Atlanta, GA

You have some good stuff there. Underwater photography is quite the challenge...at least it has been thus far. Changing white balance every meter change in depth and most of all trying to compose shots which has been a task. But I enjoy it even when I get crappy pictures cause hey, I'm still diving . I've been here in Australia for the past 4 months and I've been trying to dive as much as possible. It is rather expensive here but I have got in about 15 dives and I'm getting another 10 this week on another liveaboard. I plan to be doing underwater photograhy for a while so I'll make sure I keep posting the underwater shots. Expect to see some more at the end of the week. Thanks for the comments
Aaron

Thanks, Aaron. Just curious, where are you from? You're lucky to be there for so long. We're planning a trip to NZ in March for a conference but we're just beginning to plan the trip. Would love to fly into Cairns for some diving, maybe a short live-aboard as you've done, but man, it's expensive to fly into there. Would appreciate any tips you might have. My email is dougsturgess@yahoo.com if you'd rather reply privately.

Thanks for writing. I'll enjoy seeing more photos.

P.S. The G2 is great underwater with the Ikelite housing. I've also got a 20d now and would love to use it underwater for its speed but dread the thought of the cost of the case & strobes. I think the G2 is just fine and am planning on it's continued use for my underwater shots.

I'm actually from Seattle, Washington. I'm in my senior year of college as a marine biology major and thought it'd be nice to come here and study marine biology on the great barrier reef. Unfortunately I've had quite the workload so its not vacation ALL the time. I'm currently living in Townsville which is about 400km south of cairns. Still good diving here but Cairns is more of a tourtist spot. This is good for diving because there's more competition between dive stores and its cheaper. A 2 day 1 night liveaboard was about $300 AUD which is about $230 US at the current exchange rates. Dives were great...though I haven't been to the carribean at all. I'm in the market for a dslr...probably just a 350d but like you I think for the time being I'm going to just use my powershot for underwater photography...the price of a housing for the 350d is more expensive than the body alone. OUCH. Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Aaron

did you stay on reef encounter? i've stayed with them twice. I tried using my sister's sony, but the photos just did not do justice. Yours are great!!! First trip i got up close to a turtle, and there was a jellyfish school (or whatever you call it), and i was watching the turtle eat them. Boy i could have done with a good camera then!!! It was the highlight of my trip.

I actually stayed on a boat called the Ocean quest through Deep Sea Divers Den. And here I thought nobody else on this board dives as well, glad to see some others.
Aaron

sorry shoreliner, i only snorkel!!!