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DPG editors Lia Barrett and Joe Tepper take a detailed look at five of reader Billy Watson’s images, giving him pointers and feedback on how he might improve them.
Hypselodoris apolegma nudibranch: f/13, 1/250s, ISO 100, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite DS-160 strobes
Joe: I love the composition of this image. It starts with the portrait orientation, which really compliments the long shape of the nudi. Then, the diagonal (leading lines) position of the nudi works perfectly in the frame, with the head turned towards the viewer. The only negative that strikes me is the uneven lighting below the nudi. You can use dodge/burn in Adobe Lightroom to even out the lighting a little.
Lia: This is a beautiful capture of animal behavior. You have a nice exposure, an interesting contrast of colors, and a fine composition. From here you could begin to experiment with your light. Maybe implement a snoot if you’re up to the challenge and aim for more directional and dramatic lighting. But otherwise, this is a great shot!
False clown anemonfish: f/11, 1/250s, ISO 640, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite DS-160 strobes
Joe: Lovely colors in this one! I like that you tried to include some negative space with the black background up top, but I find the pastel-colored rock in the top left a bit distracting. If there had been a way to frame this in a portrait orientation that included only the black space above the anemone, then that would be ideal. If not, try rotating the camera back into landscape orientation to include only the fish and the anemone—a rightful negative space on its own.
Lia: What I like about this picture is the composition. It’s fantastic that you framed the anemonefish at the bottom of the image as opposed to the center. If I were to change anything, I would perhaps have waited for the fish to look at you dead on, and I would tone down the warmth of the image slightly, as it looks a little yellow.
Mbulo Caves, Solomon Islands: f/4, 1/250s, ISO 500, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 17–40mm f/4 lens at 17mm, Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite DS-160 strobes
Joe: This is again another fantastic use of portrait orientation. And great job using a fast shutter speed to really nail those light rays. However, for me, this image is missing one crucial compositional element, as right now it’s just negative space. There’s a wonderful background to be sure, but it needs a diver or some other subject to draw the eye and balance the frame in the lower left third of the frame.
Lia: In my mind, there’s nothing more beautiful than cathedral lighting underwater. The way the rays cut through the water column is stunning. As Joe says, in your next encounter with such light, I would consider adding a figure. Sometimes, a shot like this is nice for what it is, but adding a person into the frame changes the conversation.
Banggai cardinalfish: f/9, 1/200s, ISO 100, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite DS-160 strobes
Joe: I find this image a bit cluttered. To solve this, you could try getting in front of the school so that the fish are head on—this increased eye contact provides a more distinct focus point for the viewer. The other thing is that you’re shooting with a longer focal lens (pushing you farther away) and a higher aperture. As a result, the fish are relatively much closer to the background, which is then too much in focus for my liking. With a wider focal length macro lens and a lower f-stop value, you can blur the background and really make the foreground subjects “pop.”
Lia: My initial thought about this image is first of all, technically, you’re getting your strobes positioned correctly; however, I do feel the background is distracting. Next time, as well as factoring in how to fix the background, I would wait for an interesting moment and/or composition. Otherwise, we are really just looking at a school of fish that seems to have been shot for the purposes of fish identification.
Nudibranch: f/8, 1/200s, ISO 100, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, Ikelite housing and dual Ikelite DS-160 strobes
Joe: This is another beautifully executed nudibranch image. It’s about as well executed as you can get: The f/8 gives enough depth of field, while creating a blurred pastel in the background. I love the mix of the nudi’s purple and white with the green background. If you want something a bit more stark, I have seen images of this nudibranch executed with a snoot that have a unique and powerful look.
Lia: Who doesn’t love a good nudibranch composition? I particularly like how you’ve implemented some bokeh, and I am actually enjoying the background colors because of it. I would think about boosting your contrast and upping the exposure a bit, as the image lays a bit flat as it is. This can be easily adjusted in Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
Final Comments
Joe: What I love most about Billy’s images is that they are all in portrait orientation—and all use this orientation perfectly. So often we see complete photographer portfolios that are just landscape. Your use of vertical orientation and well-executed compositions are inspirational. Slight modifications to lighting and editing will really make them shine.
Lia: I actually struggle to find critical commentary, for I think Billy has a lot of potential. He is technically proficient and has an eye for composition. He can just work on his post-processing skills and think some more about capturing the decisive moment. I’m very sure we’ll see more from Billy in the future!
About Billy Watson: Billy is a hobbyist with aspirations to become a professional underwater photographer. He didn’t start diving till the year 2000, and even though he had been a nature photographer since high school, he hadn’t considered combining that skill with diving until a dive buddy sat out a dive and offered him his point-and-shoot. He was immediately hooked! His travels have taken him to the Maldives, Yap, Indonesia, Palau, Truk Lagoon, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Honduras, Philippines, Galapagos, Curacao, Mexico and Bonaire. Billy is fortunate to know a number of people who are generous in sharing their skills and he has learned aspects from each style in developing his own. Check out more of Billy’s work on his Facebook page.
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