Photo Education
Swimming with sharks
I’ve never really been one to heed warnings. More often than not danger needs to be staring me in the face before I react. On my recent shoot in Hawaii I spent countless hours bobbing in the ocean like a cork without a home. I was almost halfway through the two week shoot, so although this was my first time shooting with an underwater housing in the ocean, I was feeling extremely comfortable in the water by now. In my ongoing quest for outstanding locations I came across Snorkel Bob’s description for Olowalu: “This prolific reef will keep you busy for days or till lunch, whichever comes first. That’s Oscar’s lunch. OLOWALU IS POSTED WITH SHARK WARNINGS.” Blah. Blah. Blah. “Surely,” I reasoned, “the guide was written 10 years ago by some bloke who no longer spends any time in the water.” The location looked like it had lots of potential, and after seeing numerous locals in the water, I decided it was worth a look.
Despite Snorkel Bob’s warning and my wife’s strong opposition I bravely headed to the water’s edge. “Warm sun. No fins surfacing. Seems fine.” Then, less than 2 minutes after submersing myself, it happened. “Oscar” and two of his friends emerged in the distance. I guess that Snorkel Bob dude was right. Now I’m no oceanic expert, nor do I claim to know anything about shark behavior. But a shark is a shark in my book. And I wasn’t about to stick around to see if “Oscar” and his friends were an aggressive species or not. In all my time in Hawaii, I don’t think I ever swam as quickly as I did that afternoon to shore. Typically I can spend hours poking around in the water even when I say I’m only going to be a minute. So when I emerged from the water after only a few minutes, my wife knew but said nothing to save any ounce of manly ego that remained. (She’s cool like that.)
Aside from that one shark incident, my first experinces shooting in the ocean with an underwater housing went extremely well. Shooting with the Ewa Marine housing took a little getting used to, and I quickly learned how difficult is is to compose a shot when both you and your subject are at the mercy of the ocean. The slightest swell, wave or current compound movements significantly.
Lessons Learned: ALWAYS heed Snorkel Bob’s warnings. Shoot TONS of frames to ensure you get the shot you after; between the cumbersome nature of housings and the movement of the water there will be lots of misfires. Using large memory cards helps reduce the number of times you have to get out of the water to change cards. It’s a time-consuming process. When shooting over/unders make sure to dunk your camera in the water frequently. This helps ensure success as water droplets “stick” to the front element differently each time. Rain-X helps, too. Finally, I learned that I can swim almost as fast as Michael Phelps when trying to outrun reef sharks. (Which I have since learn are quite docile animals.)
Equipment Used: Ewa Marine UB-100 housing, Nikon D300, Nikon 12-24mm f/4 lens, Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 lens (only fits in housing when set to 70mm due to it’s length), SanDisk Extreme 4 8GB cards
Additional samples of my underwater work from Hawaii can be found in the “Latest Work” gallery on my website.
A Little Perspective
Transform by Atlanta-based music photographer Zack Arias was one of the most talked about video posts in the photo community in 2009 for good reason. It’s deeply honest, heart filled and inspirational. Anyone in a creative field can relate which is likely what made it so popular. It spread like wildfire in the photo community and beyond. Although the video came out almost a year ago, I’ve sent the link to numerous people this week and thought it was worth bringing back into the spotlight. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. Zack does an incredible job of putting things into perspective.
Also worth mentioning are the follow-up posts by Zack on his blog and the responses from his readers almost 6 months after Transform hit the web. If you enjoyed the video above and haven’t done so already, I would highly encourage you to check his related posts here (1st) and here (2nd). Make sure to read the comments as well. Powerful stuff for all.
From the Archives – Sea Kayaking in Pacific Rim National Park
As I suited up, I was beginning to wonder if my camera was going to survive. The winds were easily blowing 40-50 knots, and torrential rain was coming down sideways. It was wet–REALLY wet–and in all honesty I had never shot in such extreme conditions. After all how well could a 2 gallon ziplock bag, jimmy-rigged with half a roll of duct tape really protect thousands of dollars worth of gear? It was early October in Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino, British Columbia, and the first storm of the season was bearing down.
On the inside I was elated. Extreme conditions were exactly what I was after since we were shooting sea kayaking related images for Sealline, whose products are designed to keep gear dry in less-than-ideal conditions. It’s these challenging shoots, when I don’t know the outcome, that are most rewarding . . . kind of like climbing a mountain for the first time. At the time you wonder why you are subjecting yourself to such challenges but in the end, the discoveries along the way and feelings of accomplishment when you get home make it all worth while.
Lessons Learned: Embrace challenges and don’t be afraid to improvise. In the end my camera survived, proving a little ingenuity and the right frame of mind go a long way in creating images. By using the wind to my advantage, I was able to almost fully protect my gear on the leeward side of my body allowing me to photograph my subjects as the weather impacted them and their gear.
What Matters Now – Insight from 70 Big Thinkers
I am a huge fan of Seth Godin, a forward-thinking, best-selling author and self proclaimed “agent of change”. His daily blog is extremely thought provoking, and I cannot recommend his books enough, especially Tribes, The Dip, and Small is the New Big. This week Seth announced a free e-book he organized with wisdom from over 70 big thinkers. It’s truly insightful, and I recommend it for all who are inspired by a different way of thinking. Check it out (download here). It’s free, inspiring and well worth reading. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
Adventure Photography by Michael Clark
I recently found out my good friend Michael Clark’s new book Adventure Photography is now available through Amazon. As a small contributor to the book and a close friend of Michael’s, I had the privilege of getting a sneak peak at the book. It is packed full of information on shooting a variety of adventure sports and life as a freelance photographer. In addition it showcases loads of Michael’s award winning images making it ideal for both aspiring photographers or anyone with a passion for adventure sports.
Here is the book description from the publisher, Lark Books:
This beautifully produced guide by Michael Clark is the newest entry in the Digital Masters series, as well as the first book on a fast-growing photographic genre: shooting today’s popular extreme outdoor sports, from mountain biking and ice climbing to surfing, kayaking, and more.
Clark is one of the world’s most respected adventure photographers, and he offers sage advice—gained from years of hard-earned experience—on equipment, techniques, and the specific skills required to get in on the action. Learn to capture fast-moving subjects and deal with harsh conditions and horrible weather—even when you’re hanging from ropes and riggings in a squall. Of special interest is the Portraiture and Lifestyle chapter, which covers increasingly in-demand techniques.
The book can be ordered through Amazon here.
Mike Tittel Photography
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