This was my winning entry in the 2015 Monterey Shootout in the Advanced Wide Traditional category. The shootout is an underwater photo contest where contestants have a bit over 1 day to shoot underwater images in Central California. It's a tough contest given the often difficult and variable conditions in the Monterey. Uncharateristically this year conditions were very good. As we were leaving our first dive site on the Big Sur Coast we spotted this large Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) sunning itself. I jumped in with my camera and was able to swim right up to it. Several times I got my fins in the shot as I swam backwards as the mola swam right up to me.
Molas (especially small ones) often fall victim to sea lions. Ironically this shot was taken mere yards from a sea lion colony. I hope it didn't get eaten, though it might have been big enough (about 4 feet across) that the sea lions wouldn't be as interested. The typical hunting technique is the throw the Molas in the air like a frisbee, pulling fins and other bits off in the process. This one was definitely too big to frisbee.
The traditional categories allow global editing and I've bumped the contrast and definition quite a bit from the original. Otherwise this is as out of the camera. If I printed it I might crop slightly and clone out some of the backscatter.
Nikon D800, Sigma 15mm Fisheye, Nauticam housing with a 230mm Zen dome.
ISO 640, f/9, 1/320, Natural Light
Comments
6 commentsJust awesome! I studied fish for my Msc. and the Mola was always an esteemed point of discussion among faculty and grad students. The color scheme suggests open ocean water, BG gradient suggests depth, and the surf is represnted with all of those bubbles. The fish is incredible too--well done and congrats
..........................Jim
This is incredible! Well deserved on the contest win. I can't imagine these being "easy" to shoot and you handled the conditions perfectly
Excellent photo Clinton and congratulations on your win.
Gary.
Hello Clinton
Well Done
Bill
I like this very much as presented. I like the range of dark at bottom of frame to light at the foamy top. The mola is exotic to my eye, and I find it noteworthy that even without preconceived ideas of how one should look, this is visually pleasing, almost from a pure abstract design perspective. Congrats on a fine win!
Love those wild crazy eyes Clinton, looks like you had some good light with the Mola near the surface like this..
I scuba dived in my twenties, sure miss it sometimes..
Congratulations!