Jessie Cripps 6 Tips to Take Your UnderWater Photography To The Next Level

I am doing a few co-labs with some like minded spearo's out there and have the opportunity to share some great and informative content. Here is a great article by Jessie Cripps on underwater photography and spearfishing with a GoPro. .... Enjoy

Whether you are filming a video for your friends and family or taking pictures for a magazine story, these photography tips from Jessie Cripps at Underwater Ally Productions could take your photography to the next level.

1. Always have your back to the sun unless you are going for a silhouette photo or something similar. You will be rewarded with more vibrant colours.
2. Get closer – Why? Because you will lose quality if you take your shot farther afield and try to crop later. Getting closer to your subject will also capture the highest possible image resolution. This is also doubly true underwater as water will reduce the sharpness of your subject particularly in poor vis.
3. Buy a wide angle lens. This will give you a greater field of vision. To learn more about using a wide angle lens check out this article by Scott Geitler 
   #however using a wide angle Gopro lens, some spearo's advise that this makes targeted fish appear smaller and more difficult to see in footage.
4. Spend the time to get your shot in focus. You can't fix poorly focused images on the computer. Using your camera in manual and learning the focus settings on your camera will consistently improve your photos. Beware of losing the point of this cliche "practice makes perfect" - every photography blog, book or article will all stress the need for practice. Take note of the variables, learn to break down the elements of a good underwater photo and hone your skills and knowledge.
5. Slow and steady. Settle, get the shot. Count it loud in our head a you take the shot.
6. Get to know your camera, practice and play around with it.

Takka's and Jessie's GoPro Tips

1. Before you turn the camera off on the way up from a dive, give a thumbs up if the footage is good, thumbs down if it's poor or a shaky palm if there is potentially something useful on there. This saves miles of time in the editing stage.
2. Don't buy second hand GoPros. In our interview with Jessie & Takka several (funny) stories justify this advice - Noob Spearo Interview
3. Use the 1 button mode. This makes for ease of use for spearfishing.
1. Pinch the head. 
2. Listen for the beep. 
3. On the way up just hold the button until it turns off.
4. Get the head mounted camera level by asking a mate if it's level. Alternatively, Use your palm on the mask to make sure the lens is aligned or use fingers underneath the camera to measure where it needs to be oriented (practice).

Couple of other points; F-Stop - The lower the number the faster the lens, Very short shutter speeds can be used to freeze fast-moving subjects such as action shots spearfishing however light becomes a complication.
Learning the lighting, composition, camera settings and subject selection for spearfishing will take time. The good news is that our spearfishing photography world needs more photo-graphical impresarios and you could join the company of some of our sports best.

Follow Jessie Cripps Here https://www.instagram.com/jessie_cripps/
or Michael Takach Here https://www.instagram.com/michaeltakach/ 

Spearfishing Crystal Clean Mozambique

Jeremy Williams Spearfishing in the Crystal Blue Mozambique

I recently got back from a quick spearfishing trip to Southern Mozambique with the Rob Allen crew where we went to get pics for the mag. I was supposed to be on a charter in Inhaca but the wheels came off that trip and the trip was canceled at the last moment. Rob and Jeremy were going up to Milli for a couple days and when they invited me I was all in!

The conditions were epic and we had some beautiful water which made it great for taking pics. Some days I left the speargun on the boat and just did drifts with the camera looking for species to take pics of. I did not get any shots on big pelagics, as you need to get super close with the camera, about 3m!! Got some great pics of other fish and loads of other spearfishing pictures.

Abundant Reef Life in Mozambique

Here is an example of how clean the water was and the abundant reef life Mozambique has. Its just too good, I am already planning my next trip!

Coatesman




Book your own Mozambican Spearfishing Adventure go to: Spearfishing Charters Mozambique

Whats Happening to the Weather

Its been more than a week ago since we had a southerly wind and clean water. While the good water was around there were loads of good fish around and things were looking good for February. That was short lived tho as we just have not been lucky with the weather, first it was the unbelievable amounts of rain, then the east winds that just have not stopped for a week now.

The sad news is that the whole of next week is horrible east winds, that means no surf or dive, or any joy in the sea. Bloody depressing!!!

Last weekend before the east wrecked the sea there was a small patch of clean water between the brown muck river water from the Tugela and Umvoti rivers to the north and the Tongaat to the south. We had some real fun with the shoals of snoek in about 6-8m of clean warm water. Both Braiden and myself got 3 snoek each all over 5 kg.

Braiden some good Snoek off Salmon Bay Ballito

The water dirtied up quickly at the beginning of the week, but with the low tides and the early morning off shores there were some waves to surf. I grabbed my water housing and hit the surf to see what shots i could get of the guys.

This is a new learning curve for me getting all the right settings down to get the pics nice and sharp. Its even another story getting into the right position to get the shot off. I did manage to get a couple good shots off and now all we need is some good conditions.

Chris Braim getting shacked.

I thought this one was nice with the green water and blue sky.

With the whole week of east wind predicted, high tides, and pea green sea I dont think we are going to be doing much else other than some pool training ...... oh so much fun I cant wait.

Coatesman

How to take Spearfishing Photographs

How to take fish photographs. It is always advisable to hold the fish as far forward as possible and with little children present, preferably babies!

I found this in a book called 'Modern Spearfishing' from the 50's! Its too funny and this was just too good not to put up on the blog.
It is so try tho, how many guys do you see with pictures of fish way out in front of them trying to make the fish look big. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to notice. The ol elbow locked into the stomach and the fish out front! The thing is no serious spearo is going to acknowledge the fish you shot and you get pooled with the plebs and tonsils that need to prove something

My advice is hold the fish by the gills and against your body, if it is long let the tail just touch t.he ground. This way in 10 years time you will look back and be proud ..... even if it is only an average fish.

Smiles

Coatesman

Epic Aliwal Shoal Shark Photography

Jon Cooper took this underwater photo of these three Sharks on Aliwal Shoal this week.

The conditions on Aliwal Shoal have been epic, and this photo of these sharks is proof enough. I think this pic is an award winner if I ever saw one ... absolutly amazing!!

I mean a Tiger shark, Whale shark and a Black tip shark in the same pic in near perfect composition. 

Flipp'n epic shark photography!!

Coatesman

Clark Little Wave Photographer

Clark Little's image of an oncoming sand bath!

If you are sitting puzzling what to do go and check out Clark Little he is an Hawaiian who has made a name ... and living out of taking pictures of waves!! ....Can I have a job??

Clark Little's success makes you wonder what else is out there that we can do to turn a passion into what you do for a living?

Now I am puzzling,

Coatesman