The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Another of my favorite images from last year. I’m not much of an underwater photographer, but this was a bit of a redemption story for me. A decade prior, I had visited the Galapagos Islands with an underwater housing for my DSLR that was… inadequate, let’s say. It leaked on the first swim and killed my camera.
Since then I’d tried only a couple other underwater photography adventures, with other experimental housings. I finally decided to purchase a used Nauticam housing several years ago, but didn’t end up using it until last year’s return to the Galapagos.
This time, no leaks, and I was pleased to get a few shots of the diminutive Galapagos Penguins zooming about under the surface. I liked this shot for its environmental display, including the colors and all those tiny fish that the penguin was pursuing. The balance of these elements on both sides influenced the pano crop and centered placement. The destination of the penguin is not as important here as much as the sense of place.
Technical Details
Canon 1DX Mark II
Canon EF 17-40mm
ISO 1000
1/800th
f/4.5
Nauticam Housing
Critique Template
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The instinctive reaction kicked in when I first saw the thumbnail of this one, Max. “What the heck is an underwater image doing in Avian.” Then the subject clicked in and it made sense. This is an excellent image. I think your subject placement and the pano crop work just fine here. Glad to hear the housing worked. Two cameras would be a bit much.
I’m curious-does that housing allow you to adjust the focal length on the zoom lens or are you stuck with whatever it was when you put it in the housing?
Dennis, I was stuck with what I set it at (in this case, not quite wide open, as I’d get some serious vignetting at 17mm). Perhaps there was a way to adjust the focal length… but I wasn’t familiar enough with the housing to figure that out.
Glad the housing worked, Max. Great habitat shot and nice lighting. Good look at the penguin. At first I wondered about the central placement, but it works well with the pano crop and all those fish swimming around the penguin.
Such a cool image Max. Superb swimming pose with raised wings. Great to see the environment with all the fish. I like this crop as well. I also think a slight crop from the left would work as well. Great image!
I’ve always wanted to shoot some penguins, but I’ve never been able to find one close enough. This is really fine being underwater. I know how difficult it is and about the trials and tribulations of underwater photography. Yes camera housings do leak. I had a small waterproof Nikon point-and-shoot at the first time I took it in the ocean, it leaked and never worked again. Fortunately Nikon replaced it, but I’m have not taken it in the water since.
