News
The Winning Shot: January 2019
Winner of the Scubaverse Underwater Photography Competition – January 2019, Jack Pokoj tells us all about his winning shot…
Candy Crab by Jack Pokoj
Location
Dauin, Philippines.
Equipment
- Nikon D7200,
- Nikkor 60mm f2.8 micro lens
- S&S housing
- Twin YS-D2 strobes
- FIX Mini Neo focus light
Settings f9, 1/125, ISO 400
Dive Centre
JackBelle’s Diving
The Shot
I took this photo on a night dive. I saw the large soft coral, checked it for a candy crab and found one in a good position in a “V” shaped gap in the coral with some clear water behind the subject, depending on the angle taken in the photo. I took a test shot, made some adjustments to my strobes and then took a 2nd shot. The candy crab moved to the other side of the soft coral. I took a few more shots without the crab in the shot to finetune my lighting before moving to the other side of the soft coral and found the crab. I was then able to move the focus point to the crab’s eye and wait patiently for the candy crab to move into the “V” before taking the photo.
I was able to take two photos of the subject before moving to the other side and waited patiently between photos to not stress the crab out so it remained around the “V”. The key to the shot was to get the best angle with the soft coral in the foreground to reflect the camouflage of the crab, nothing in the background so that was black to make the candy crab stand out, as well as lighting up the soft coral to bring out the details.
I would like to emphasise the not stressing of the candy crab as it would have quickly moved to an unfavourable part of the soft coral where I would not have been able to get this shot, rather than remain around the ideal location. I was then able to wait for it to slowly move into the perfect position, focus and take the photo then wait. That is probably the most important point to make!
Gear News
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Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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