Whales, Wildlife & Wilderness                                                                                                                                                 Pam & Wayne Osborn

Underwater

 

Total Immersion

 

Digital photography has revolutionised and reinvented underwater photography certainly beyond my wildest dreams.  I started out in the 70's with a Nikonos II camera and a single hand-held strobe. I was inspired by Steve Parish's then landmark book 'Ocean of Life.' My next rig was a 6X6 roll film camera which allowed 12 exposures only on each dive.

 

The ability to immediately review images and low noise sensors has neutralised many of the technical challenges facing the underwater photographer. This leaves greater freedom to observe the natural world and express creativity.  The standard of contemporary underwater photography continues to improve with every passing year.

 

We currently use Canon EOS 5DsR bodies in Nauticam housings. A Zen 230mm dome is used with a 16-35mm lens and a Zen minidome with an 8-15mm lens. I also use a 100mm macro lens and occasionally a super macro converter.  Twin Inon Z240 strobes provide lighting.

 

Pam works with 50mm and 100mm macro lenses. A Sola 1200 video light is used to supplement natural light or a single Inon Z240 strobe.  All Pam's images are taken whilst freediving.

 

Diving trips have taken us to locations such as Wakatobi, Raja Ampat, Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, The Abrolhos Islands, The Azores, Solomon Islands, Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, Palau, Vanuatu, Rangiroa, Raratonga, Aitutaki, Tahiti and Hawaii.

 

Home base in Australia has been the Victorian coastline, South Australian sinkholes and the waters around Perth and Rottnest Island.