Reply To: May 26 challenge topic is Portfolio.

[Paula]

It will be difficult to top all the submissions for this month’s challenge, it has been inspiring to see different approaches and techniques.

We have been getting spoilt for macro in Tulamben, which didn’t make the challenge easier. How to slow down and take time with a critter, when there is another one waiting just a few meters away?

But, keeping the challenge in mind, I have been really mindful of my techniques with every subject. I chose this goby for the forum, trying out different lighting and settings. All shot with Sony 100mm lens and AOI Q1 strobe, with some photos adding MFO-3 and/or Backscatter OS-1 snoot

1) With snoot; 1/125s, f/14, ISO 125; aiming for a crisp image of the goby, with a classic black background and soft edges of the sponge.

2) With snoot and MFO-3; 1/125s, f/14, ISO 125; a bit of a context with the crinoid beneath the goby. I was delighted for the goby to yawn for me!

3)With MFO-3, no snoot; 1/25s, f/10, ISO 125; I opened the aperture to get more light in the frame and get some blue + some view of the background; I also backed away a little to get more of the sponge in the frame, as it was creating a nice diagonal, albeit with a gap.

4) With MFO-3, no snoot; 1/25s, f/10, ISO 125; I wasn’t aiming for a motion blur but the goby did the the trick for me. It’s front curtain sync (as I wasn’t planning to use this technique), but I actually think it works in this photo. Picture is cropped to show a little more of the moving goby.

5) No MFO-3 and no snoot; 1/160s, f/14, ISO 125; Here I removed all the “toys” and went back to basics. I’m happy I can still achieve a black background without snooting, though I have to say the sharp edge of lit up sponge bothers me a little – I prefer the soft edges in the first (snooted) shot.

6) No MFO-3 and no snoot; 1/25s, f/8, ISO 125; Very similar shot to (5), but I went for a shallower depth of field and blue-ish background.

Looking at all other submissions, I realise mine shows less variety. I promise I did try various angles, but I found only this upwards view working for me.

This was definitely a great exercise to challenge myself, and experiment a little. Thank you, @Lena !

And thank you to my buddy @Ariane always great diving together 🙌

+1 More Photos

• This reply was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by  Paula Suszko.