Turtles make
wonderful photographic subjects. That's why
after spotting a turtle, underwater
photographers are tempted to charge toward the
animal to get as close as possible as fast as
possible. Getting close to our subjects
underwater is certainly the right idea, because
the closer we get, the sharper our subjects
appear in our images. In addition, hues of warm
colors, such as the reds, yellows and oranges,
look richer and more vivid. However, getting in
a rush could ruin your chances, as it'll likely
frighten the subject.
Like many divers on their first attempts to
photograph a sea turtle, I got only shots of its
hind end as it fled. Taking advantage of sage advice
from fellow photographer Doug Perrine, I learned
that quite often the path to success photographing a
turtle is to give the turtle time to acclimate to my
presence before trying to get within shooting range.
Doug's point: It often pays big dividends to
approach turtles and other subjects in a slow and
deliberate manner.
These days when I encounter a turtle resting on the
bottom, I mill about in the area for a few minutes.
I avoid making direct eye contact with the turtle,
and once every minute or so, I check on the turtle's
position and response to my presence. If the turtle
does not appear to be rising off the bottom on its
front flippers - a sure sign that a closer approach
will cause the turtle to swim away - I slowly begin
to work my way toward the turtle. If the turtle
looks uneasy, I look away and back off. I have found
that if I work in this manner and give the turtle
sufficient time to acclimate to me, in most
instances I will be rewarded with the opportunity to
photograph a resting turtle from close range.
If the turtle is swimming when I encounter the
animal, I swim along a path parallel to the turtle's
course to give the animal time to get comfortable
with my presence. After a few moments, if I believe
the turtle is relaxed I begin to alter course and
slowly narrow the distance between us. As I
approach, I avoid swimming immediately in front of
the turtle, cutting off its path, and I avoid
swimming directly above the animal, thus cutting off
its path toward the surface and life-sustaining air.
Employ these techniques and you'll likely get as
close as I did when I shot this picture of a turtle
from 3 feet (0.9 m) away at Turtle Pinnacle in Kona,
Hawaii.
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