Electrokate's Hawaiian pix

[Electrokate]

Hi,
I just got a new toy and though I haven't gotten used to it yet thought I would post a few pix. It's an Intova 6 megapixel underwater camera. I snorkel but don't scuba so it's going to have limited usage but it's so far a ton of fun. I took it to Poipuu Beach on Kauai last weekend and didn't get a ton of great pix but learned a lot... like that shooting into the sun works about as well underwater as it does on land. Especially when there is a ton of debris in the water Next time I will shoot early when the light is right for the site and keep my back to the sun... also need to learn about white balance and other settings. But in auto mode it did pretty darn well, considering. I never do expect more than one good picture out of a day's shooting. That's why I had to go digital.
So here are the first few pics and hopefully there will be many more and much better to come! The first pic shows how most of the shots facing away from shore turned out. The waves are high this time of year and there is a ton of debris in the water not to mention bubbles. Not the best time to try this actually.

Kate

 

[jsmkmavity]

you could take my wife and i to kauai with you next time and we will help you figure it out!

 

[matts125]

Cool pix, thanks for sharing!

 

[class clown]

Very nice.. I love true underwater reef pix. 6 megapixels too.. very nice.

 

[jsmkmavity]

we have an old school underwater that takes special $10 a roll film. great pics when they turn out but expensive. would like to go digital under water too! i liked the idol especially. not often we get to see them. thanks for taking time to post em.

 

[hazyeyedj]

Great pics, I know enough about photography to know that underwater is as hard as it gets when it comes to getting the correct colors in the photo, so many issues with the sunlight being refracted through the water, depth, and so on. One thing I have been told, btw my underwater pictures blow so take this for what it is worth, is it is best to shoot under subject matter is possible to get the blue color in the water, you will get this from the refraction of the sunlight in the water, of course as you stated directly into the sun is never a good thing .
I am jealous you went to Kauai, I have a timeshare there in Princeville but have traded it the last several years and have not been back since 01'. I love all of the islands and am still trying to figure out how to convince my company that we need an office there for me to manage .

-Jason

 

[Krish]

Very nice pics Kate!!! Hawaii definately has some species of fish than we don't have here! Thanks for sharing the photos!

 

[balogh03]

Nice pics Kate! It is always fun to see our fish in there natural home

-augustus

 

[Elmo18]

Hi Kate!!!

I love those photos!? Are you permanently in Kaua'i now? or which island?

Best,
Ilham

 

[salmonslayer]

NICE JOB, Thanks

 

[Electrokate]

Thanks! This camera has its limitations but for the money it's pretty decent. I'd get a Nikon D70 w/ underwater housing, strobe etc etc but I don't have that kind of money. and if I did I'd be too chicken to take it in the water. This camera has some problems with noise in areas that lack detail and occasional lapses of judgment in the autofocus dept, but I can't complain. If you live in a rainy place it would be good for outdoor use in general, and for people who have to share a camera with the rest of the family I would guess it would be a good choice. It would be a joke for a pro though. I am kinda picky too, if I don't delete 2/3 of the pictures I think I am not being honest with myself!

So do the pictures show up on the post or do you have to click a link? I thought if I used the icon above (the mountains w/ yellow background) I would insert a pic that appeared full size, linking to photobucket. It doesn't appear to be working that way at least from my end... Is there a better way if it is not working that way?

I know the books and websites all say to shoot the fish from below to get a nice blue or black background but I can't get down far before I bob back up! Buy hey, I figure there are a ton of properly done pro pics of fish, so I will do a set of what it looks like if you snorkel. Sometimes I get lucky and the fish turn to expose their full side to me like the idol did. Here is a site that has the real deal photos:

http://www.marinelifephotography.com/default.htm

I don't live on Kauai, am on Oahu, and not permanently but hopefully at least til this awful winter is past! I can't say how long we will stay either, it's sort of up to Ben's employer, and the guy who wants to hire him in Portland.

There are a ton of Moorish Idols here, it's really nice to see them. They are a bit timid but so many of them are around that there are always some nearby to see. The babies stick near shore where it's shallow so you can even watch them from shore.

This weekend I will try and get some better pics now that I have learned a few things. I've been told it's the wrong time of year to visit for good snorkeling/swimming because of the choppy waves and debris, that summer is better. Boy they don't tell you that in the ads do they?
Kate

 

[Electrokate]

Wailupe beach

This day was not a good shoot... lots of fishermen were there first so I couldn't go far out, there was a ton of debris, and not as many fish as the first time. Got a few shots though. Bryzoans and debris covered most everything. I did find a few damaged but pretty Pocillopora colonies, a VW Bug size sps, a lizardfish, and hordes of interesting plants I tried to grow back home. The second picture is of a neon green algae with iridescent sky blue edges, it looks like it glows. Really stunning.

 

[Krish]

Nice pics Kate!!

 

[Electrokate]

We went out twice with undercharged batteries and got 4 pictures before the camera died. Still kicking myself over Hanauma which was spectacular. It was just before full moon so the fish were getting ready to spawn, males had unusual color depth and pattern and we saw some fish not usually seen close to shore. Also saw a huge turtle about 5 feet away from us and a foot long filefish fighting a humuhumunukunukuapua'a (say that 10 times fast). Picasso trigger for short Will definitely have batteries ready next full moon!
So here is the one shot I got underwater at Hanauma Bay and an above water shot...
Kate

 

[Tangee]

Kate, get that camera charged today and get back in the water!

I miss you!
Susie

 

[Krish]

Nice pics Kate!!!

 

[spongebob lover]

wwouu doodette !!!
those are some nice pics .
i like the convict tangs one ... those are one of my favorites .

 

[Electrokate]

Well, we did go out yesterday... I got a few pictures.
Coral here is sparse, mostly small pocilloporas and encrusting porites or montipora, at least close in where we go. Have not seen one leather coral anywhere though they are rumored to exist. There are blue and green zoanthids, brown palythoas galore, and various anemones few and far between.
Most of the "reef" close in is ancient liverock from a time when sea levels were higher, now covered with small coral and plants. Scary urchins live in their bored out caves all over the place, one would think this would discourage people from touching/walking on the reef. It's not as spectacular here as Indonesia but still fun. I wish people would be more careful with the corals, there are so few and they are so small. But most people don't believe they are alive let alone important.
The good news for us is that the surf is less intense so we can start exploring the north shore again, that's where we saw the most fish. Can't wait!

 

[Electrokate]

I followed a green dragon wrasse for quite a while, it posed over and over and not one picture is in focus (kicking self) Here is my best effort... much photoshop applied. Also saw a lot of orange shoulder tangs midway between the yellow stage and the grey stage, they were really beautiful against the cyan of the water. Ben took the tang picture and the saddle wrasse.

 

[spongebob lover]

very kewl !!!
keep the pics coming .