4th Place, Super Macro
Robert Roy
"Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker on Kelp" Shot in British Columbia, Canada with Canon EOS M
Robert won his choice of $200 gift certificate with Bluewater Photo or Bluewater Travel!
The story:
The Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus orbis) is a somewhat rare but delightful find in the rich coastal waters of British Columbia. With an average size of about 1 cm, they are undoubtedly pound-for-pound the cutest little fish that can be found in cold water. With their ventral sucker-disc, they cling to a piece of kelp, or a rock or a shell, and blend into the substrate, making them quite difficult to find.
I was lucky enough to find this little cutie while diving near Telegraph Cove, just off the Northeastern coast of Vancouver Island. I took a few shots with my 60 mm macro lens, then flipped my accessory wet lens (Nauticam SMC) in place to get more magnification and a true super-macro shot. The SMC is a bit difficult to use with the 60 mm lens, as the working distance is quite short, but with a steady hand, a cooperative subject, and some patience, good results are possible. I always shoot in full manual mode, In cold water, I tend to keep my strobes at about half power to save battery, and ISO 200. My shutter speed is usually at 1/200 (maximum synch speed), and my aperture usually varies between f16-20. I will fine-tune exposure by varying distance to subject or adjusting aperture.
Location: Queen Charlotte Strait (near Telegraph Cove), British Columbia, Canada.
Camera: Canon EOS M, Canon 60mm macro lens, Nauticam housing, Nauticam SMC, Sea & Sea YS-01 and YS-02 strobes.
Settings: f14, 1/200, ISO 200
