Category Archives: Beach

Photographer’s Choice – David Smith

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Forty Feet Below: An Amazing Featherduster (and Friend)

David Smith - Featherduster Worm (Sabellidae)

David Smith - Featherduster Worm (Sabellidae)

In June of this year, David traveled to Bonaire, a small island in the Caribbean lying 50 miles north of Venezuela and a part of the recently formed ‘Caribbean part of the Netherlands’. Bonaire has many of the characteristics of Caribbean islands in general but perhaps its main draws for tourism are warm, clear water for diving and windsurfing. David has special gear for underwater photography, the DX-2G Sea & Sea (a waterproof housing coupled with a modified Ricoh camera) which he used to capture the image above. Illumination was provided by a strobe not only for light but to bring out the natural colors of the creature and its surroundings. The featherduster is the main attraction but see if you can also find the ‘friend’.
David captured another creature on the same trip, not as brilliant but the detail is fascinating. Take a close look at his shy “blenny”.

Photo of the Week – Christine McCarty

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The Setting Sun’s Palette of Color

Christine McCarty-the Outer Banks at Duck

Christine McCarty-the Outer Banks at Duck

The colors of a setting sun and the NC coast have provided photographers with countless opportunities to test their skills in composition and exposure since the first camera was brought to the area. The above was captured on the sound side of the Outer Banks at Duck at 7:40 in the early evening while the light remained strong and the colors vivid, deepened and saturated by the reflection in the water. The strong vertical pilings, the horizontal floor support beams and the oblique railings leads the eye on a pleasant journey deep into the scene. The reflected trees add a gentle interest to the overall composition. This image easily passes the test for excellent composition and exposure.
Christine used a Canon EOS XTi fitted with the 18-55 mm lens zoomed to the maximum focal length, a shutter speed of 1/800 sec and an aperture of f/5.6.