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 Subject: Photo Tip of the Week!
 
Author: Papa bear
Date:   9/23/2007 8:20 pm EDT
Photo tip of the week 9-23-07

When it comes to light how much is enough? For strobes it depends on what you will shoot and what system you will be shooting with. Remember that water is eight hundred times denser than air and the effective range of a strobe is a maximum of 5 to 7 feet depending on the conditions. But remember that closer is better and most shots should be taken within 3ft unless you are doing macro then 9 inches to a foot. So unless you are going to shot large things at distance you don need a Strobe the size of the Goodyear Blimp! Besides the weight in travel and the size you will spend a lot of money for something you won’t use. I shoot with Sea & Sea and Ikelites and with the latter I have the D200 and the D125. The D200 is heavy and bulky but provides plenty of light. I set the D125 and the D200 to ½ power for most pictures. This seems to be a good setting for the 3ft range I shoot for.

So if you use a smaller strobe you could set it up too full or TTL again depending on the system you have. Even the Sea Life Reef Master can over power your shoots. The newer digital Strobes for them are great and can be turned way down. You will find that getting close is the key to good lighting. You might even think of a diffuser for your strobes if you are washing out color with them. So the moral of the story is you don’t always need the biggest to have the best. For DSL I like the D125 and it seems to have plenty of power and travels well. There are many as capable in the market place, I happen to use the ones mentioned, and if size and expense are part of your decision you will have to do your homework. Remember to take into consideration the batteries and charging systems. My Sea & Sea’s use rechargeable batteries that I can use in other things including my land camera’s Strobe. So consider how much you will want to carry and how much cross use you can get.

So remember that dive skills are as important as the laser beam million-dollar strobe that will still only reach out 7ft maximum. It is more important that you have good dive skills and learn to be slow and calm when approaching your target. Learn to control your breathing and be a part of the reef. If the target doesn’t see you as a threat then you will get that shot. But you must have, not just good, but perfect buoyancy control and you will not only get the shot but save some money as well because you can do it with the less expensive strobe!

One more thing before I leave this subject. That is a focus light. All auto focus cameras do it with light through the lens. You need sufficient light for the Auto focus to activate and work. Some cameras use inferred light, but will also work on full spectrum light as well. You can buy dedicated lights or rig something that will work just as well. UK makes some small lights that will attach to just about anything that work pretty well. One small trick with this type of light is to take away the “Hot Spot” by cutting a small lens shaped piece of plan paper and putting it under the lens to soften the light!
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 Photo Tip of the Week!   new  
 Papa bear 2/13/2007 1:10 am EDT
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 Papa bear 2/19/2007 10:52 pm EDT
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