New Gear: 100mm Macro & a 1.5 Tele!

After half a year with the 60mm and the Tokina 10-17 fisheye i decided to get a new lens. I got a 100mm Macro and a Kenko 1,5 Teleplus. After having done 4 dives with the 100mm and the Teleplus (see november 07 album) i must say, that supermacro is much easier than i thought it would be ... all the horror stories about how difficult it will be to find things through the viewfinder should not discourage anyone to try teleconverters with long lenses. It's lots of fun and you can get great shots on the most boring divesites. Most little fishes look great with the right magnification. This picture shows a closeup of the tail of a anemoneshrimp - taken with the two lenses together with a Inon wet diopter, that screws on the frontside of my port. That picture is about one fingernail wide.

 

Rebreather Fotodive with Harald from Seacam

This month Harald, the founder and owner of Seacam Underwaterhousings, visited W Retreat. I Had the pleasure to dive with him and Susanne for 10 days. It was lots of fun and we had very nice diving here in Ari Atoll. Specially when i introduced him into the Draeger Dolphin Semiclosed Rebreather on the housereef. Of course we had to go for a second dive with cameras.

Thanks Harald, it was nice to meet you. If i ever can afford to switch to a seacam housing, i will call you!

 

Winning Picture

With this portrait of a oriental sweetlip i participated in the weekly underwater picture contest of digideep.com. And i made the first place. OK ... it is not really a very professional competition, but still i am happy, the users of the site liked my picture and voted for it. It was taken with my INON X2 Housing, Canon EOS 30D camera and a EF-S 60mm lens. I used two INON strobes to light it. Just off the beach on our nice housereef.

 

Looks shit, feels shit!

Puuh. I am just recovering from a bad fever. Started off with strong (really strong) headake and high fever. So i was in bed for 3 days nonstop. The Island Doc says i have "Thyphoid Fever" ... after the fever leaves, the diaria will come. Now i really really hope, he is wrong. But somehow i doubt it. Anyway, this picture is taken just infront of our room during my first fresh air excursion ... of course with the drip ...

 

Baby found underwater

Last week i went for a quick dip in the housereef ... just diving around and looking for nothing special. Then i found this baby leaf fish ... it is just about 2-3cm small and really cute. Of course i went back straight the next day to take a picture ... it was a full on current then. I took this picture with the EF-S 60mm and a INON wetlens. The small guy did not really like it and started being angry at me and jumping around ... that's what you see in the picture ... i is just about to jump of the ground there.

 

 

My Equipment

Since this April 2007 i am using a Canon EOS 30D in an INON X2 underwater housing. I am really happy with my choice. First because of the 45degree viewfinder, which makes things really easier. And second because of the unique MRS magnetic focussystem. I am still a beginner, but hey ... i have lot's of time to improve here on the island. The sea is there, the camera is there ... seems like it's up to me now. I hope my improvements are visible in my albums ...

Here you can also find a little review about my housing, that i wrote for digideep.com

 

 

Stunning sunset sipping!

Just want to share this impression with you: i took this picture on "Sip" – our oceanview sunsetbar. Perfectly designed like the rest of the island - but definately the best place to be, when the sun goes down. Not only for the view, but also for mellow chill-out tunes from our DJ and fantastic cocktails from the bar. Hope the picture transfers the mood somehow.

 

 

 

ESCAPE from paradise

Escape - thats the name of our 2-mast sailing yacht and the nicest way not to be on the island. We use it for marine-biology expeditions, sunset sailing (which i did on this picture) or for private charters. It has 3 sails, two big cabins for guests, salons, loads of plasma screens ... and of course: Space for tanks. So we can do whaleshark expeditions to south ari, hammerhead shark overnight trips to rasdoo ... or whatever the customer wants. It rolls a bit when its rough, but beside that, it's a very nice boat.

 

 

Smells like team spirit

This is a shot of the biggest part of our Crew and me ... somehow it's impossible to get all on one picture ... sorry Ben and Danny ... but you where not there. We took this shot, when we went out to do one of the Open Water Course dives for our boatcrew ... they are alle like fishes and very talented for divers ... unfortunately they are less talented and enthusiastic with the theory.
This picture is taken just before leaving the island. In the background you can see the seaplane. Ahhh ... and on top of us the lifejackets (safety first).