Scuba_Photos

Please note that the following photos are not nearly as sharp as the actual prints, as I have reduced the resolution to allow for their quick uploading with a standard web browser. (My scuba bio and a discussion of the challenges confronting the underwater photographer follow these photos ...)

Barred Hamlet

(January 17, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "Pavillions" reef-- Cane Bay)

Blue Chromis

(January 17, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "Rust-Op Twist" reef-- Cane Bay)

Porcupine Fish

(January 16, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "North Star" reef-- Cane Bay)

Jungle Reef, Cane Bay

(Looking skyward from 35 feet down)
(January 16, 2008, St. Croix, USVI)

Surgeon Fish

(January 16, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "The Trench" reef-- Cane Bay)

Smooth Trunkfish

(January 13, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "Twin Palms" reef-- Cane Bay)

Spanish Hogfish

(January 13, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "Twin Palms" reef-- Cane Bay)

Four-Eye Butterfly Fish

(January 13, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "North Star" reef-- Cane Bay)

Sponges
(January 13, 2008, St. Croix, USVI; "North Star" reef-- Cane Bay)

Barracudas

(August 13, 2007, N. Myrtle Beach, SC; artificial wreck reef "Barracuda Alley")

Pygmy Filefish

(August 12, 2007, N. Myrtle Beach, SC; wreck of the "General Sherman")

Toadfish
**Look close! ... eyes are slightly above and to the right of center**

(August 12, 2007, N. Myrtle Beach, SC; wreck of the "General Sherman")

A Nice Striped Bass

(July 12, 2007, Jamestown, RI; taken at 50 feet)

7-Foot Sand Tiger Shark (scattering the bait fish in its path)

(May 26, 2007, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Papoose")

Greater Amberjack

(May 26, 2007, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Schurz")

Lionfish
(May 25, 2007, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Papoose")

Greater Amberjacks in Blue Water at 100 Feet
(May 25, 2007, Beaufort, NC; above the wreck of the "Aeolus")

French Angelfish near Scuba Diver
(March 13, 2007, Pompano Beach, FL; Shark's Reef)

Queen Angelfish
(March 13, 2007, Pompano Beach, FL; Shark's Reef)

Porkfish by Barrell Sponges
(March 13, 2007, Pompano Beach, FL; Shark's Reef)

Sunfish
(January 10, 2007, Williston, FL; Devil's Den Cavern)

Monster Catfish
(January 10, 2007, Williston, FL; Devil's Den Cavern)

Blue Grotto Springs Cavern
(Looking skyward at the mouth of the cavern from 35 feet down)
(January 10, 2007, Williston, FL)

Manatee
(January 7, 2007, Crystal River, FL)

Monster 11.5-Pound Tautog
(September 30, 2006, Jamestown, RI)

Sea Cucumber, resting on the bow
(May 24, 2006, Morehead City, NC; wreck of the WWII German sub "U352")

8-foot Sand Tiger Shark, surrounded by Grunts
(May 23, 2006, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Papoose")

Lionfish, surrounded by Grunts
(May 23, 2006, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Naeco")

Elbow Reef
(Looking skyward from 30 feet down)
(March 15, 2006, Key Largo, FL)

Elbow Reef
(Another skyward shot from the bottom)
(March 15, 2006, Key Largo, FL)

Queen Angelfish
(March 15, 2006, Key Largo, FL; "Mike's Wreck")

8-Foot Green Moray Eel
(March 15, 2006, Key Largo, FL; Elbow Reef)

French Angelfish
(March 14, 2006, Key Largo, FL; Cary's Fort Reef)

Giant Loggerhead Turtle (6 feet / 300 lbs.)
(March 14, 2006, Key Largo, FL; Cary's Fort Reef)

Stoplight Parrotfish
(March 14, 2006, Key Largo, FL; Cary's Fort Reef)

Blue-Striped Grunt
(March 13, 2006, Key Largo, FL; wreck of the "City of Washington")

6-foot Sand Tiger Shark
(June 8, 2005, Morehead City, NC; wreck of the "Papoose")

Porgy,
surrounded by Tomato and related Grunts
(June 7, 2005, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Schurz")

Queen Angelfish,
surrounded by Tomato Grunts and Vermillion Snappers
(June 7, 2005, Beaufort, NC; wreck of the "Naeco")

Monster 10-pound Tautog
(May 13, 2005, Jamestown, RI)

A Tasty Striped Bass
(October 16, 2004, Bull Rock, Jamestown, RI)

Tautog: 9 & 5 lbs
(October 7, 2004, Ft. Wetherill, Jamestown, RI)

Stoplight Parrotfish atop an Octopus
(April 16, 2004, Key Largo, FL; Pete's Reef)

*****

Scuba Bio

Over the years, I have developed a passion for scuba diving, averaging 65 dives per year. I especially like the travel, photography, spearfishing, and adventure that are associated with this sport. I have my Master Scuba Diver certification (PADI/ Professional Association of Diving Instructors), and 10 PADI specialty certifications: Deep Diver, Emergency First Response (CPR and First Aid), Enriched Air-Nitrox, Equipment Specialist, Reef Conservation, Rescue Diver, Scuyak (ocean kayaking combined with scuba), Underwater Hunter, Underwater Navigation, and Wreck Diver.

I do most of my diving in Rhode Island, which has many great shore dives— with beautiful walls filled with a vast variety of flora and fauna. The spearfishing is also quite good between early May and early November (the most common gamefish are tautog, flounder, and striped bass). Water temperatures during the dive season start in the low 40s F. (6 to 8 C.) in early May, peak to the low 70s (23 to 25 C.) in late August, then drop back down to the mid 50s (12 to 14 C.) by early November. Despite the cooler temperatures, I only wetsuit dive— usually in a 7mm full suit, often in conjuction with a 5mm hooded vest.

I have dived many wrecks throughout the Florida Keys, as well as near Ft. Lauderdale; these wrecks include the Benwood, the Cayman Salvage Master, the City of Washington, Mike's Wreck, the RSB-1, and the Spiegel Grove. I have done extensive wreck diving off the North Carolina coast (Beaufort; Morehead City— having done multiple dives on the Aelous, Indra, Schurz, Naeco, Papoose, Spar, and U-352 in the Gulf Stream waters near the Outer Banks). I have also done wreck diving in the waters of the South Carolina coast (including having dived The General Sherman and the barges and armored personnel carriers used to create the artificial reef systems locally known as Barracuda Alley and Pinnacle Reef).

I have done many coral reef dives in the Florida Keys and near Ft. Lauderdale, as well as in the Bahamas (Grand Bahama Island) and U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix). I have also done deep cavern diving in the fresh-water springs and rivers of central Florida, including Blue Grotto Springs (Williston), Catfish Hole (Chiefland), Devil's Den (Williston), King's Bay Cavern (Crystal Springs), Manatee Springs (Chiefland), and Paradise Springs (Ocala), as well as the smaller caverns of the Rainbow River (Dunnellon).

Even though I dive deep by recreational standards (to depths of 135 feet), I stay within in "no decompression" limits and do no "technical" diving (using mixed gases, stage bottles, et al.). I solo dive often, but only in areas in which I have a great deal of familiarity and no deeper than 75 feet. I generally use a single steel 100cf tank; and always carry a 19cf aluminum pony tank for my deep wreck dives (for my pony, I use a front sling system, with the tank attached to D-rings on the upper right side of my bcd).

My spearguns include a 75cm band gun (Omer Dragon) and several pneumatics. I prefer the pneumatics, my favorite of which are a 85cm Sporasub Stealth and a 97cm Mares Cyrano.

Until 2007, for my wreck and reef photography I used a 3.3 mp SeaLife digital camera and two external strobes. Since January of 2008, I have upgraded to the Sealife 6.1 mp Land & Sea camera-- with twin digital strobes. For general photography (reefs; caverns; wreckscapes; larger creatures) I use a 24mm wide angle lens, which I remove for macro shots (distances under 20 inches). I edit my pictures with Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0.

*****

The Challenges of Underwater Photography

Taking good pictures on dry land can be challenging, but such challenges often pale in comparison to taking good pictures under water. Among the greater difficulties that underwater environments bring forth are the:

* lack of light;

* existence of floating particle matter—which can both block out subjects and create “backscatter” (the reflection of light off the particles back to the camera, creating glare and distortion);

* loss of color as light penetrates the surface (reds begin to fade at 15 feet, soon followed by oranges and yellows; below 30 feet, everything begins to appear as shades of blue and green);

* need to wear gloves (to protect from cold; from wreck debris), increasing the difficulty of camera operation;

* sometimes powerful currents, making it hard to stabilize the camera;

* constant movement of fish and other marine life—rarely do the likes of sharks, rays, reef fish, et al. “cooperate” and pose for a picture;

* need to be “close” (less than 6 ft.) to the subject matter—as the lack of light and the distortions created by particular matter within the water column, as well as the water column itself, can distort photos beyond that range.