That's a Moray

Photo shot with Nikon D100 and Sigma 110 lens in a Light & Motion housing; Nikonos

SB105 strobe and Sea & Sea slave strobe

clever title:). a good image but I question why you've cropped it so much?

Hi Art X-

 

I'm not surprised you ask about the photo being cropped. In fact, it is not cropped at all; I shoot with a D100 in a housing, so underwater I must deal with the lens I put on the camera above water. : ) I was set up for macro and close-up work with my Sigma 105 macro lens, so I shot a close-up of the biggest Green Moray I've ever seen. Anyway, it made for one heckuva close-up! The day before I took this shot I encountered a huge Spotted Moray - and I was also set up for macro with my 105. (isn't that usually the way it happens U/W?) That pic will be uploaded soon; check my gallery to see if it's there.

Sandra, Let's just call this a portrait and a fine one at that. Gotta love that D100. Although I have a D200 as well, I like to carry the D100 around with me. Most of my UW shots were with an Oly C8080, but now I have the D200 underwater. Alas it was a year ago tomorrow that I set out for a week live aboard at T&C. How I'd love to repeat it this year. Regards, Bernie

I hope you didn't get bitten!

 

Fantastic detail and composition.

 

I would blur the background to de-emphasize the upper left corner.

It's too bad that was in the background but I can see how it couldn't be avoided.

Unless you don't think of it as "cheating" I'd suggest blur just the background in Photoshop or....somehow removing that grey animal in the upper left.  It destracts from the main subject.

Love this shot by the way

Thanks of stopping by Michael - Gosh, I'd almost forgotten about this one.  This is posted exactly as shot, and is  "a few" years old now. I was limited by the lens I had mounted at the time, and, of course, where this dude was hiding.... not much angle to work with, especially with two strobes on Ultralight arms. I thought about eliminating the soft coral, but I think it would leave an awkward looking dark, empty space. To me it helps form a dark triangle that points toward the open mouth that is comprised of  two more-or-less triangular shapes.. and then there is the repetition of all the little circles that echo the eye.... Looking at this now, I would clone out the light spot in the upper right, the light spot just to the rear of the open mouth and the two light dots at the edge of the photo over the head.  Thanks a lot for your comments and time. I really appreciate it. I should go find the original and re-wrk it now that I have a lot more experience with PS and have added LightRoom to my e-darkroom.