Given the numerous challenges underwater
photographers face when trying to get close to
subjects that can scurry away in the blink of an
eye, it is logical to
 think
that capturing perfect images of creatures that
can't move fast or go far must be a whole lot
easier. Take nudibranchs for example. Due to their
bizarre shapes and dazzling colors many species make
wonderful subjects. They are generally unafraid and
often appear completely out in the open. How much
easier can things get?
Careful; let's not count our pictures before they are
published. Creating great images of smaller reef
creatures definitely has its challenges. First, you
need to fill a pleasing percentage of your
photographic frame with your subject. To do so you
must have a lens that can accomplish such a task,
and you've got to get close to your subject when you
trip the shutter. Second, you need to pay close
attention to detail when composing and focusing.
Select an f-stop that provides a sufficiently wide
depth of field (the zone in front of the lens that
is in focus) and be sure the head, the antennaelike
chemosensory organs known as rhinophores, and any
projecting gill tissue that nudibranchs often
exhibit are in razor-sharp focus.
Third, it is important to consider whether a given nudibranch
has lightly colored stripes, margins or spots on the
body. Make any necessary exposure-related
adjustments to avoid grossly overexposing those
features. Fourth, being at eye level, or even
shooting at a slightly upward angle usually produces
more compelling composition than shooting down at
reef creatures. In addition, a level or slightly
upward shooting angle often helps provide viewers
with a clear look at the detail in structures such
as the rhinophores and gill tissues by helping them
stand out against the surrounding background instead
of blending with the animal's body. Revealing those
details often adds an all-important "wow factor" to
your shot.
Nudibranchs are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning a single
animal is both male and female at the same time. So
when nudibranchs mate, the act can aptly be
described as a case of boy meets girl meets boy
meets girl. In the case of the photograph of the
pair of mating nudibranchs that accompanies this
article, knowing a little natural history helped me
understand both what was happening in front of me
and what I needed to do to capture the essence of
the moment as I realized that I wanted to show the
physical contact between the pair, not just show
that they were close to each other.
Being aware of the photographic challenges and ways to cope
with them, and having some knowledge about the
natural history of nudibranchs was the winning
combination that enabled me to recognize my
photographic opportunity, get the shot and provide
some interesting information to my audience. That
combination will work just as well for you with
almost any subject you encounter, big or small.
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