Philppines Trip

[Tazzie]

I've just spent 8 days in the Philippines in both Dumagete and Puerto Galera staying at Diving Philippines - Atlantis Dive Resorts, Dumaguete and Puerto Galera, Philippines . Both resorts had fantastic diving, from muck diving to pristine coral reefs, shipwrecks and the best pier diving I've ever done.

Both resorts really cater for photographers with great guides who are fantastic at spotting critters that do not need any "encouragement" to pose. In Dumagete the guides even carry slates with them to write down the names of the wierd and wonderful things we were seeing - very handy indeed!

I cannot recommend these two resorts highly enough for photographers - the Pier at Dumagete, even though private and needs special permissions, is definintely one of the best locations I've ever been fortuante enough to dive and works well for both macro and wide angle - there's enough life on one pier leg alone to spend a whole 60 minute dive on and the swim back to the boat across the sand always resulted in finding more wierd and wonderful critters!

Anyway enough talk, pics can be found My underwater photography journey - Philippines May 08

[Helen]

Looks amazing. Am very jealous. Great pics. The wide angle shots are lovely. Especially like this one



Helen

[Tazzie]

Thanks Helen

The piers, especially the small pier, were absolutely incredible - really photogenic for both wide angle and macro. I'm especially pleased with the wide angle too given that it's my first lot of "results" with that lens

[Annie S]

I'm also very jealous! I can't pick a favourite shot, there are just to mny wonderful ones. Just how many did you take to get these? All that effort you have been putting in with your courses has obviously been worthwhile. Was it horrendously expensive because I could be seriously tempted....

[whacky]

Stunning absolutely stunning. Every time I see your pics I look forward more and more to the trip i have planned with Martin at the end of july, and the worshop at the beginning.

I worried about the cost of the course but I was a very lucky boy for my birthday I got some money which left me with not so much to pay to spend the day with Martin. I'm hoping that the lack of experience with DSLR won't be a bad thing I am hoping that I will be able to bypass the bad habits.

[TimIngmire]

Those photos are great - especially the wide angle shots from under the pier, they deffo excite more than the macro shots.

It's great to see how you are developing with every trip - well done.

[Tazzie]

Wow high praise indeed from all of you, thanks very much indeed

Originally Posted by Annie S

I'm also very jealous! I can't pick a favourite shot, there are just to mny wonderful ones. Just how many did you take to get these? All that effort you have been putting in with your courses has obviously been worthwhile. Was it horrendously expensive because I could be seriously tempted....

Thanks Annie I probably shot about 150 - 250 shots a day so the return isn't that great

Atlantis resorts I think you are looking at (very roughly) £100 per day which includes accommodation, all meals, 4 dives a day. Please don't take this the wrong way but for me that's really reasonable working out at £25 a dive whcih is how I manage to justify things in my head!! The food and the resorts were fantastic and the guides really good which all added to the experience.

Originally Posted by whacky

Stunning absolutely stunning. Every time I see your pics I look forward more and more to the trip i have planned with Martin at the end of july, and the worshop at the beginning.

I worried about the cost of the course but I was a very lucky boy for my birthday I got some money which left me with not so much to pay to spend the day with Martin. I'm hoping that the lack of experience with DSLR won't be a bad thing I am hoping that I will be able to bypass the bad habits.

Thanks Whacky You are going to absolutely love it! The rules are so simple in the workshop and the way he runs his trips visiting the same sites often so you can go back and improve on what you've already done is second to none. It will break your "normal" diving though... No more touring around dive sites!!

If you're new to the DSLR I'd try and make sure you have a really good play around with apertures and shutter speeds and the rest of the controls before you go and see Martin, that way you will be able to concentrate on what Martin's telling you rather than how your camera works!

Originally Posted by TimIngmire

Those photos are great - especially the wide angle shots from under the pier, they deffo excite more than the macro shots.

It's great to see how you are developing with every trip - well done.

Thanks Tim, it's a real eye opener for me getting successful wide angle shots especially as I'm still only using 1 strobe and it's something I've really struggled with.

Mind you, the bottom of the piers were all sand and even I can't get lost (well not often anyway!) on a pier so I felt I had the time to really concentrate on what I was trying to achieve which I'm finding is the real key to underwater photography.

Can you think of anyway I can improve and excite more with my macro - am i still choosing the wrong subjects? Is my positioning worng? Lighting? I totally agree they still lack some impact...

[TimIngmire]

TBH there is nothing wrong with the macro shots - I think they don't excite me as I've seen them before - there are only so many ways to shoot some of these smaller critters (without going extreme macro) and it's difficult to get something original - I know as I have very very similar photos (although I was very pleased with what I took at the time and still am).

The Pier and wreck shots I've never seen before and therefore have more impact for me and I think you've captured them very well.

[Tazzie]

That makes a lot of sense Tim and without an extremely lucky moment I think it's hard to capture some of the macro subjects in any other way than what everyone expects.... Unless I do a David Doublet but I'm on my best behaviour about that subject for now!!

[Annie S]

Originally Posted by Tazzie

Thanks Annie I probably shot about 150 - 250 shots a day so the return isn't that great

Given that someone like Alan James would spend 3-4 days trying to capture the perfect shot that doesn't sound too bad at all. I find it interesting that he would plan a shot in his head in advance and then go out until he gets it. I always end up 'grabbing' something on the off chance.

I love your shots,and seeing the improvement you are making. I hope when I have more time to get out with my camera I will be able to progress the way you are. Seeing what you are doing now definitely spurs me on.

I have always loved macro but I think you are much more limited in terms of creativity. Mine are ok for fish id but that's about it at the moment.

I had a wonderful photo opportunity at the weekend - a tom pot blenny and a velvet crab - both posing beautifully. Only trouble was I was guiding so couldn't have my camera with me.