[UW Photo A038] : A Sea Slug (nudibranch)

Sea slugs are simply explained as saltwater snails without a shell (or with an internal shell). There are no many researches done about them. Anyway, they should be playing a significant role in the ecosystem of a coral reef.

This bright yellow colored slug (Notodoris minor) was captured in Great Barrier Reef.

[UW Photo A037] Many fishes

Most of the seascapes we see in magazines with thousands of fish in blue water have been captured using wide angle lenses. This is same kind of attempt I made. Kiralagala in Hikkaduwa is one such site that provides a plenty of opportunity for wide angle photos. It got different rock formations that give many options supported by many kinds of fishes.

[UW Photo A036] Dull yellow

When I capture this, I was equipped with a simple point and shoot camera. So I had to shoot everything in the same manner. Obviously, this is a macro opportunity. Anyhow, today very sophisticated point and shoot camera housings are capable of changing lenses underwater, which are called “wet lenses”.

I like this dull yellow colour for some reason. Mostly I like the expression of small yellow fish within the corals, yet I can’t identify the exact species.

[UW Photo A035] Capture from Unawatuna

[UW Photo A034] A seascape

This sight reminded me of bird nest plants within the vegetation of a rain forest. If I am equipped with a wide angle lens I could have captured this better. That would have supported me to go closer to capture more details, without restricting the range. This capture is from the outer reef of Great Barrier Reef.

[UW Photo A033] An abstract

Usually, underwater photographers don’t pay much attention on shooting abstracts. Still, underwater ecosystem gives marvellous opportunities for such initiations. Famous photographer, Martin Edge explains fundamentals of training one’s eye to capture abstracts. He also encourages shooting them.
This is one of my attempts to capture a portion of a sea fan coral with the contrast of blue water.

[UW Photo A031] A closer look

[UW Photo A030] Lionfish portrait

This lionfish is posed perfectly. Shot could have been improved by moving closer or using a macro.

[UW Photo A029] Corals on wreck

[UW Photo A028] Scorpionfish

This is Scorpionfish. It’s interesting to know, how cleverly it camouflage itself according to the surrounding. Though it is not an aggressive fish, it is always advised to keep a safe distance because its’ erectile spines of their dorsal, pelvic and anal fins contains poison.

Of course this is not a very good shot. Though, this is best captured as a macro shot, still it could have been captured better with wide angle gear if I had bit more patience. Simply, I should have waited bit more to capture the "peak of action" than shooting the resting animal.

[UW Photo A027] Fusiliers at Conch

School of Yellowback fusiliers seen within the ship wreck, The Conch, which is more than 100 years old.

[UW Photo A026] Corals on the rock

When visibility was too poor, you still have little chance of shooting different corals. This is a coral grown on the rocky surface of Kadawara Gala.

[UW Photo A025] Coral Grouper

Coral Grouper (also known as Coral Hind/ Cephalopholis miniatus) is one of my favourite fishes in a reef. I like its colour and beautiful pattern.  I found this particular fish going upwards in the ridge of a rocky formation of Kiralagala. May be this is not the optimum timing for the shot, but I couldn’t afford to miss the chance.

[UW Photo A024] Rocky and colourful seascape

[UW Photo A023] Meal time

School of fish (including Bannerfish and Butterfly fish) on a feast.

[UW Photo A022] Yellow at its best

Diyamba Gala is usually not a promising diving site for photography. Anyway, this colony of Sun Corals made my attempt worth. I love shooting these bright yellow Sun corals because it easily gives me the satisfaction of shooting a vibrant object, just by considering the angle of light and composition.

[UW Photo A021] Doubleline fusilier

This is a school of Doubleline fusilier  (Pterocaesio digramma) found swimming across a reef in Great Barrier reef. I was amazed by the sight and by the same time I had a very little time to capture the scene.

[UW Photo A020] A purple dream

This photo was taken in the Great Barrier Reef. Specialty in the reef is vibrant corals. It is not only the biggest reef system on earth, but one of the healthiest.

[UW Photo A019] Abstract Black and white

Usually under water photographers are not encouraged to shoot downwords, there are some exceptions. I captured this formation shooting directly downwords.

[UW Photo A018] A mistake

When flash didn’t work, there is nothing underwater photographer can do. This is such an unfortunate thing happened to me. Otherwise, this Guitar fish (Family: Rhinobatidae) could have been captured well. Especially it’s critical in temperate zones since sunlight is not as strong as tropics.