Hi, here’s a few pictures from Marsa Alam in Feb this year and would welcome some opinions on what you think of them

taken with a 10-17 Tokina on a Canon350D

Cheers Ted

Hi Ted,

great images and as I said before they have somehow their own style.
The only thing I would say is that in my opinion they are a bit to sharp,
which makes them a bit grainy too. but anyway nice framing

/lars

My immediate reaction is “WOW”

I like the shots alot, the Turtle is my favorite. 

What f/Stop did you use, there looks like a great DOF

Something you may also want to try is adjusting the DOF, so the subject becomes the focus a bit more.

For instance on the Lion Fish the foreground is almost too clear and sharp and can distract from the subject.  I like the Lion Fish being off center like that, but the foreground draws some attention away. 

That being said I would be very happy myself if I took these shots - more just some thoughts going on to consider down the road.  .

Thanks Lads,
Drew I try to keep about f11 and play around with the speed between 60-125th by ISO100 flash at half power. I seem to get good results this way.
Lars your rigth about them being too sharp, its only when I reduce them for the web they look a bit yucky and flat, so I touch them up a bit (to much).
I like the idea “they have somehow their own style”, I might work on that.

Cheers Ted

they have somehow their own style

I meant that in a very positive way! Although I feel technically confident
with almost any aspect of underwater photography I still miss the feeling
when watching my images, which I get when watching your images or images
of other photographers. I feel that there is still something missing in my
photographs, but something that cannot really be explained, at least
I cannot

/lars

tedjones - 26 April 2007 08:32 PM

Thanks Lads,

I like the idea “they have somehow their own style”, I might work on that.

I am with Lars in that it is a positive, I like the angles and the way they are shot, like I said my initial reaction was (and still is) real nice job.

Lars Kirchhoff - 26 April 2007 08:46 PM

they have somehow their own style

I feel that there is still something missing in my
photographs, but something that cannot really be explained, at least
I cannot

/lars

You may want to look here, there a couple of shots that look pretty darned good in my book

http://www.digideep.com/go/forums/viewthread/6393/

As to explaining it, yeah the intangibles are always hard to place your finger on, especially when you look at things you do yourself (meaning any one of ourselves)

Ted

After looking at the photos you have posted and seeing the comment about “your own style” it made me think about the composition a bit more.  For the record I also think your photos are fantastic and for me I believe I know what that “style” is, perhaps to me alone but still identified.

Most pictures on this site are very good technically and present color and subject very well.  Almost all of yours go one step further and lead the viewer down a mental path beyond the specific imagery.  I am not trying to get existentialistic here so please be patient when I try to explain.  As an example: your first photo.  Because of the lighting AND the direction of the school what I see is a metaphoric image of the ocean and its life as ART and not only a photo.  In the foreground I see a hazy sun showing the depth of the ocean, the life (fish) in movement but more importantly the dark background of the unknown depths.  You repeat this very idea in the trumpet fish photo with the fish approaching the lighted reef FROM the dark depths of the waters.  The turtle image yet reveals another art ideal to me.  The turtle looks so much like some tired creature moving along his way with the divers in a train being busy about their way like so many tourists.  The turtle could be a two year old full of vim and vigor but to ME in that picture its almost a metaphor of nature vs man.  The Lionfish is very nice for its asymetric balance and color framing as an image and the yellow school is also nicely shot and framed.  For me though I like the other three for the same way I like to look at a Wyland painting, they make me not only look but also to wonder.

Regards
Katamuki

Well, I would like to say thank you Katamuki, Lars and Drew for your comments on my Photos especially Katamuki, for your explicite definition of Art and Photography. It was really a delight to read and completely bowled me over, I take it as a huge compliment .

You may want to look here, there a couple of shots that look pretty darned good in my book smile

http://www.digideep.com/go/forums/viewthread/6393/

Cheers
and once again Thanks
Ted