to find. Every year we slow down more and try to open
eyes wider to possibilities. And I have patience, a virtue
I sorely lack above the surface, to a fault underwater.
When I’m locked on a subject Anna knows to keep an
eye out. She calls it goby fever. I call it bliss.
SF
//
Even though you consider yourself a
naturalist more than a photographer, you couldn’t
get images of the quality you share with us without
keen attention to quality underwater camera gear.
What do you shoot?
ND
//
I learned to photograph animals from Paul and
haven’t altered my techniques much over the years,
except for the switch to digital a few years back, which
has been a boon. Basically I keep my gear as simple and
streamlined as possible. I use only manual focus and
all manual f-stops, and I shoot exclusively with a single
Ikelite DS160 strobe and an Ikelite housing. I find the
system robust, dependable and quick. I’ve recently moved
up to a Nikon D800 camera for the 36 megapixels that
allow me to crop more. Ninety-five percent of my photos
are taken with a 50mm or 60mm macro lens.
People seem surprised at the simplicity of my setup,
but it allows for the versatility I need. If I’ve learned
anything over the years, it’s that you never know what
you might run into underwater. My Encounters article
in this issue tells the story of Anna’s and my two-week
hunt for a hit list of fish in Utila. On the last day of our
stay, my rig allowed me to capture two of our targeted
species, a three-quarter-inch goby and a 4-foot
stingray, on the same dive.
SF
//
Any additional tips for critter hunters and
shooters?
ND
//
If you can afford it, hire local knowledge
whenever it’s available; it’s well worth the expense.
Throughout Indonesia and much of the Coral Triangle
dive guides are trained to find animals for guests. These
young men, and in a few cases women, are masters
at finding animals that specialize in not being found.
Many of our eyes, including mine, have become what I
called “citified.” These guides are much better at sorting
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