NZPhotographer Issue 37, November 2020

MAUVE STINGER
F6.3, 1/100s, ISO100
You will also often spot us in areas other divers avoid
like the plague; often near the surface in the middle of
a raft of jellyfish or salps. These gelatinous critters get
stuck in your hair, dive gear and some pack a nasty
sting so why on earth are we here? Well, over the
years we started to notice that juvenile deepsea fishes
and squids are using these rafts of jellies for protection.
We have photographed species that were previously
only known from depths well past scuba dive limits
within a meter of the surface.
Although warm tropical seas and clear waters are lovely;
I will always prefer to dive close to home. As a marine
scientist the thing I love most is starting to know an area,
understand the ecosystem and start to recognise unique
species or behaviours. I genuinely think that the most
amazing images are captured when you are fully immersed
in your environment, and that the challenges of diving in
temperate waters pushes photographers to be creative
and truly show their appreciation for their homeland!
take a camera underwater you need to be confident
in your abilities as a diver, freediver, or swimmer.
Safety should always be your number one priority and
adding a technical task when you are unsure of your
ability to maintain your buoyancy, gauge your air
pressure, or undertake safety stops should not even be
an option. However, if you are comfortable as a free-or
scuba diver and you are looking at starting to capture
some of your underwater encounters there are several
pathways you can go down regarding gear.
THE PRACTICALITIES OF UNDERWATER
PHOTOGRAPHY
Just like any other form of specialised photography;
underwater photography requires time, experience
and monetary investment. Before even attempting to
56 November 2020 NZPhotographer