[UW Photo A190] Vivid colors of Busselton

 Photo was taken in 2020, beneath the Busselton Jetty in Western Australia, more than 200km south of Perth. Jetty was built in 19th century, and you find amazing variety of sub-tropical marine life beneath the structure. Dive was challenging due to cold water which would easily cause hypothermia. I literally had to cancel the second dive since I was almost shivering. Ironically, land temperature was 40+ celsius and some beach dwellers who didn’t know I had just dived were puzzled to see me shivering and try to make my body wrap with all the clothes I could find. It was a memorable dive!

These corals are exceptionally vivid in colors, hence though of post process to darken the background to emphasize the same.

[UW Photo A170] White Tip Shark resting

 

[UW Photo A167] The Other direction

 

[UW Photo A132] Box fish in Busselton

 

This photo was taken beneath the famous Busselton Jetty of Western Australia. If you see carefully, front edge of the face of this Box fish is subject to glitter/ highlight in white. It is very hard to remove even through Light Room software without damaging the real image. This is one of the biggest challenges photographers face when shooting fishes. Fish are anyway “objects” those reflect light depending on the angle. For an average viewer this may not be that visible, but someone who know underwater photography this is a big mistake. Unless this issue, I am happy with the composition and etc.

[UW Photo A130] Diver under the Jetty

Producing B&W photo is a big decision in underwater photography. In this occasion, I thought B&W will give a better perception of context of the picture. This diver is exploring the ecosystem under the jetty. Due to the platform of the jetty, sunlight comes in a certain direction which I tried to emphasize by B&W presentation. Also pillars gives bit more mysterious and surrealistic impression.

[UW Photo A129] Old Wives

 

[UW Photo A128] Life under a Jetty

 

Life is usually rich under Jetties. I managed to see and shoot some of the rarest marine creatures under the Jetty in Padang Bay, Bali that is within tropical waters. 

This time I dived under a Jetty in cold waters. Busselton Jetty is well-preserved WWII time jetty in Western Australia, now being protected due to historical value as well as richness of the marine life. 

As this image, it shows how nicely coral are grown within the columns of the jetty. I used a fish-eye lens to capture entire column against blue waters shaded with direct sunlight.

[UW Photo A125] Fan Corals at Murion Islands

(Location: Whale Bone, Murion Islands, Exmouth, WA, Australia)

Waters around Murion Islands, off Exmouth, in Western Australia are rich in Corals, such as these fan corals. When I dive, my camera was equipped with a wide-angle lens: a fish-eye lens to be exact. Fish-eye lens can be very irritating especially, when you don’t want to go as wide as 180-degree coverage. Yet, shoot this big fan coral, so that it covers entire picture, is a kind of a special treat you can only enjoy with a fish-eye lens. When I shoot this picture, my camera lens was close to the subject.

[UW Photo A123] Turtle at Ningaloo reef

 (Location: Gulliver, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia)

Though I have seen many Turtles in their natural habitat, couldn’t make it a point to take photos. They are very fast underwater and usually don’t give much room for a photographer unless he/she is well prepared to shoot a fast-moving subject.

While I was diving the famous Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, I got this great opportunity of shooting a descent size turtle. Fortunately, it was resting on a narrow boulder. My camera was equipped with a fish-eye lens which may not be the best but I managed to click few shots without disturbing the creature. Luckily, I had already set high dept-of-field since I was looking for opportunity for a close-focused wide angle shot. Ocean surge and visibility wasn’t in my favor, but they were manageable. 

One should not understand Ningaloo reef as a very blue tropical looking reef in Sri Lanka or south east Asian region. Water in the reef was cold and its more greenish. So, given these conditions I am pretty happy with this outcome.

[UW Photo A113] Image from Rottnest Island

(Location: Rottnest Island, WA, Australia)

[UW Photo A112] Uncommon Coral

(Location: Longreach bay, Rottnest Island, WA, Australia)

[UW Photo A111] Blue Devil

(Location: Longreach bay, Rottnest Island, WA, Australia)

Around the Rottnest Island of Western Australia offer, temperate yet bit different underwater ecosystem. It is a place with cold water yet with some corals. Blue Devil is one of the interesting sub tropical fishes we found here.

[UW Photo A106] Beneath the Temperate water

We all are obsessed with tropical waters. Yet, temperate waters can give you surprises with sharks, kelp forests etc. Once I tried exploring a small sheltered coast in Shelharbour, south of Sydney in a sunny autumn day and found immense beauty through the lens.  For the first time I saw crystal clear water and macro life in it. This is one the pictures I am pleased with.

(Location: Shellharbour, NSW, Australia)

[UW Photo A092] Scorpion fish

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

[UW Photo A091] Rhythm

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

Attempt of adding bit of aesthetic value to an underwater picture.

[UW Photo A090] Wobbegong Shark – B&W

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

Just an attempt of making a photo with a touch of abstract nature.

[UW Photo A089] Red Rock Cod

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

This is clearly a scorpion fish, though locals call it Red Rock Cod. I believe this is Eastern Red Scorpionfish, (i.e. Scorpaena jacksoniensis Steindachner).  This is small juvenile fish found in the sheltered water close to Sydney. Luckily, I was equipped with macro lens to capture it.

[UW Photo A088] Abstract

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

[UW Photo A087] Underwater plants

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

[UW Photo A086] Striped Catfish

(Location: Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia)