Nature's Best Photography: Oceans

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  Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Ocean, West Coast of Ireland
  By George Karbus | Web site: Emerald-vision.com
  "The view of the dolphin beside this silver, rolling barrel of a wave was amazing. After two hours of action and under very difficult lighting conditions, I got one good, sharp shot."
  Equipment: Nikon D300; 10.5mm f/2.8 fish-eye lens; 1/125 sec at f/4; ISO 200
  
  
  

  George Karbus, Nature's Best Photography

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  Pfeiffer Beach State Park, Calif.
  By Patrick Smith | Web site: Patricksmithphotography.com
  "This sea arch on the Big Sur coast is a natural portal for light and forceful surges of water. Normally, there is too much contrast in the light between one side of the portal and the other for a proper exposure, so I waited for a day when there was a thin layer of fog. For a brief moment, the sun became dim and the reflected light from the cliff behind me lit up the rock face. This was the only image that turned out correctly. I was lucky!"
  Equipment: Canon EOS 5D; 24-105mm f/4 lens; 1/6 sec ta f/8; ISO 50; Lee 0.9 neutral density soft graduated filter; Silk tripod; Manfrotto pistol grip head
  
  
  

  Patrick Smith, Nature's Best Photography

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  Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland, England
  By Rainer Mirau | Web site: Silent-Moment.com
  "I hiked one-and-a-half miles to this beach covered with 'dinosaur eggs' to capture this view of a medieval castle. I was all alone on the slippery shoreline and waited eagerly for a gap in the clouds and the half-moon to rise to the ideal sidelight position. Light from a distant town added a warm, orange glow behind the castle. The long exposure turned the ebb and flow of the ocean waves into a fog-like effect over the rounded stones."
  Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III; Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 lens; 15 mins at f/4; ISO 100 Gitzo Mountaineer Carbon tripod; Arca-Swiss head
  
  
  

  Rainer Mirau, Nature's Best Photography

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  Green Turtle and Moon Jellyfish, Turtle Bay, Norman Reef, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
  By Gary Brennand | Web site: Marinedomaindiving.com
  "Green turtles are an endangered species, but quite a few can be found on the Great Barrier Reef. I came across this turtle feeding on a moon jellyfish. Timing the shot to get the turtle with its mouth open was difficult, as it was moving around the jelly rather quickly--but after some observation, I noticed a pattern in its movement and managed to get the image I wanted."
  Equipment: Nikon D200; Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 fish-eye lens; 1/125 sec at f/9; ISO 100; Aquatica A200 housing; Sea & Sea YS-110 strobes (2)
  
  
  

  Gary Brennand, Nature's Best Photography

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  Diver and Golden Sweepers Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua Province, Indonesia
  By Jeff Yonover | Web site: Jeffyonover.com
  "While exploring the soft coral islands of Guam, Alberto Reija and I came upon a large, tightly packed school of golden sweepers. Much to my surprise, my friend removed his mask and regulator and, with mouth agape, poked his head into the swirling school. I was able to snap off a couple of frames before my laughter ruined the moment."
  Equipment: Nikon D2X; 10.5mm f/2.8 fish-eye lens; 1/80 sec at f/10; ISO 100; Subal ND2 housing; Inon Z-240 strobes (2)
  
  
  

  Jeff Yonover, Nature's Best Photography

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  Giant Pacific Octopus, Near Dalnegorsk, Rusia, Japan Sea
  By Marina Kochetova | Web site: Marinakochetova.com
  "After becoming used to a particular diver, an octopus may allow a human to come into close physical contact, but you only have a moment to get a shot!"
  Equipment: Canon EOS 5D; 15mm f/2.8 fish-eye lens; 1/160 sec at f/10; ISO 200; Ikelite housing; Ikelite DS 125 strobe
  
  
  

  Marina Kochetova, Nature's Best Photography

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  Striped Marlin, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
  By Amos Nachoum | Web site: Biganimals.com
  "The longest migration of any bill fish was made by a striped marlin that had been tagged near Baja, then recovered three months later south of Hawaii, a total distance of bout 3,120 miles. Most striped marlin wander in the ocean alone, but when breeding they may be found in pairs or schools. Striped marlin appear near Cabo San Lucas in July through October in search of fish. Here, a marlin has isolated a single sardine with its long bill, which aids in capturing food."
  Equipment: Canon 1Ds Mark III; 16-35mm f/2.8 lens; 1/250 sec at f/4; ISO 400; Seacam housing and Superdome; Sea & Sea strobes (2)
  
  
  

  Amos Nachoum, Nature's Best Photography

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  Checkerboard Wrasse, Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia
  By Michael Patrick O'Neill | Web site: Mpostock.com
  "On a late afternoon, I went diving to observe the reef at dusk -- a magical time when diurnal animals are replaced by the 'midnight shift.' At nightfall, there is a blur of motion while the fish are hurrying for cover. Just two minutes before my dive was over, this beautiful wrasse swam past me."
  Nikon D2X; 60mm f/2.8 lens; 1/5 sec at f/20; ISO 100; Aquatica D2X housing; Inon Z-220S strobes (2)
  
  
  

  Michael Patrick O'Neill, Nature's Best Photography

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  Whale Shark and Sardines, Indian Ocean, Mafia Island, Tanzania
  By Matthew Potenski | Web site: Matthewdpotenskiphoto.com
  "When photographing for research purposes, I generally come back with monotonous, technical shots of whale sharks' spot patterns. It was a nice change to get in the water with my camera and try to make 'pretty' pictures."
  Equipment: Canon Eos 20D; 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens; 1/125 sec at f/7.1; ISO 100; Aquatica underwater housing
  
  
  

  Matthew Potenski, Nature's Best Photography

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  Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
  By Darwin Wiggett | Web site: Darwinwiggett.com
  "This tiny fishing village is renowned as a photographer's paradise for its picturesque harbor. i set up my camera using my widest angle lens and composed a shot. My lens was not wide enough to take in all the elements of this scene, so I made two images by shifting my lens up and down. Later, I stitched two overlapping frames together using Adobe© Photoshop to depict the fiery streak of clouds reflected in the smooth, blue water of the rocky pond with the Atlantic Ocean background."
  Equipment: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II; 24mm f/3.5 tilt shitf lens; 1 sec at f/16; ISO 100; Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-edge graduated filter; Silk 4 Professional Tripod; Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head
  
  
  

  Darwin Wiggett, Nature's Best Photography