Cherie & the Lionfish

03-Feb-2013 Back to Image Gallery

Cherie & the Lionfish


The reefs in the region of the coral triangle are the world's richest reefs with the most biodiversity of marine life in the world's oceans. The challenge therefore is to capture this diversity within a single image which of course is impossible. However, while exploring Wakatobi resorts pristine reefs we came across bold lionfish among a school of baitfish surrounding the beautiful corals that are such a feature of this region. The challenge then was to coordinate strobes, exposure, focus, fish, model and me so that the combination would freeze this moment in time and the spectacular environment of the coral triangle could be revealed.

Photo Data: Location: Blade dive site, Wakatobi, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Genre: Wide Angle Photo Data: Nikon D200, Nikkor 10.5mm lens + 1.4 Teleconvertor, Seacam Housing, Dual Seacam Sea Flash150 Strobes, Manual Exposure Mode. ISO 100. Exposure f10 @ 1/125th sec. Image by Kevin Deacon

Photo Hints: When using dual strobes to shoot dual subjects I adjust one strobe to high power to illuminate my model, Cherie, further from the camera and adjust the other strobe power down to prevent over exposure of the near subject, the lionfish. This provides balanced light throughout a multi subject image and allows each strobe to restore the most colour saturation. The focus point was set to focus on the near subject, the lionfish, so that shot after shot the key subject would remain in focus. The wide angle lens depth of field would take care of the rest.EQUIPMENT COMMENTS: The key equipment elements with this image are the use of my dual Seacam Sea Flash 150 Strobes. These strobes are more powerful than most so they are capable of restoring more saturated colours even when used on very long strobe arms and shooting at longer strobe to subject distances. Less powerful strobes suffer from colour absorption as light from the strobe travels through the water column. Also the use of a prime Nikkor lens rather than a zoom lens combined with a perfect optical glass dome provides sharper image quality towards the edge of frame which is important when multiple subjects are present everywhere in the image.

Interesting Facts: The coral triangle is a term used to describe the area that marine biologists agree has the most diversity of all tropical marine life on planet earth. This area is in the form of a rough triangle that has the Philippines to the north, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands to the east and the islands of Indonesia stretching from West Papua, across Timor to the West. It is intersected by the equator and occupies the epicentre of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It also includes many other great dive destinations such as Bali, Borneo, Thailand and Malaysia. As one travels further East, West, North and South, this biodiversity diminishes.

Back to Image Gallery