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SUMMER 2012
IMAGING
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P H O T O T E C H N I Q U E S
Tangling with Kelp
Photography in the underwater forest
T E x T a n d P h o T o S b y a n d y S a l l M o n a n d a l l i S o n V i T S k y S a l l M o n
R
ecently we received a photo request for images
of a specific dive site in our local kelp forest,
and the deadline was immediate. Our knee-jerk
reply to the client: “No problem — we can do it!”
Delight was soon replaced with dread, and our enthusiasm
fizzled as we scrutinized our photo libraries and found only
two useable wide-angle photos of the distinctive site. Talk
about an impulsive screwup! And worse, it was March —
the dreaded spring season.
To us, springtime brings to mind the color green: St.
Patrick’s Day, new plants emerging from the soil and, most
of all, green water. In our local sites off San Diego, upwelling
from the nearby submarine canyon can give the water a dark,
murky appearance at any time of year, but this is especially
true in the spring. Plankton blooms and repeated onslaughts
of storms are notable features of the season. On several
occasions our local kelp forest provided us with very strong
reminders that springtime diving is not for the fainthearted;