I realised something big this weekend. I think it will change my perspective as a photographer, possibly even as a person. And it is that sometimes you need to look beyond the subject and appreciate the background; that the unnoticed backdrop can sometimes become the star.
I was struggling with a shot for the ‘navy‘ one word photo challenge this week. And then I had my light-bulb moment. All of a sudden I had reams of options. A plus from being a camera-wielding scuba diver I guess!
Underwater photography is far more technically challenging than photography on dry land, and unfortunately I just don’t get that many opportunities to get in the water and practice. So although the photos themselves are far from perfect, they bring back really happy memories of some fun, fish-filled dives in Sipadan and Mabul.
Diving Sipadan and Mabul you really do get the full spectrum. Big stuff creating a swirling fish soup so thick you can barely see at Sipadan. Weird and wonderful macro gems awaiting discovery if you take your time and get your eyes focused in on the detail around Mabul.
The water visibility is sparkling and you feel like your head is on a swivel looking side to side, up as well as down, in the hope of seeing another turtle, shark or the beginnings of another vortex of barracuda or trevally. You efforts are usually rewarded with something good. Each time I’ve been there the diving has been mind-blowing.
I couldn’t choose a favourite, so this is just a small collection of some of the shades of navy I saw around Sipadan and Mabul. Navy seems to be one of those colours with a gradient of different shades, and I think they’re all covered here! Big fish, little fish, bubbles and sunlight. Which one do you like best?
readsbyredriverbanks 
Ohhh..those barracudas are amazing! You were so lucky to witnessing them in Malaysia. I wish to visit this neighbor country to my native land someday!
It’s true that underwater photography is technically challenging than land photography. I had photography burn-out couple years ago, but after finding out the challenge of underwater photography, I was recovered 😀 – I guess the challenges could make the underwater photography appealing 🙂 And you captured the underwater moments beautifully (love the turtle picture too ;))
LikeLiked by 1 person
You definitely need to see Sipadan and Mabul, Indah – your underwater photography is amazing, and you would have so many subjects to choose from. Hope you get there some day.
Thank you for your kind words about my photos – I do love seeing the barracudas like that, and Sipadan is great for trevally too. And it makes me smile every time I see a turtle with his tag-along bat fish,just waiting for an easy meal. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t make my mind up which I like the best, they are all great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! They bring back happy memories! :o)
LikeLike
I love the photo of the turtle! I am a novice diver (with little opportunity to practice), but my favorite thing to see while diving are green sea turtles! They are so fun just to (discretely) follow around and observe.
LikeLike
Thank you! Always glad to meet a fellow diver! Sea turtles are just amazing aren’t they? I love watching them too. They’re so comical, and surprisingly fast when they decide to be.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the photos, Jenny. Hard to pick a favourite, especially for a non-diver like me. They’re all incredible – a window into another world. I was interested in your comment about backgrounds, too. Years ago, looking through a box of old family photos, I realised how important backgrounds become over time. So many details captured inadvertently: houses and gardens since gone, fashions, cars and of course, those people who just happened to be in the frame when the photo was shot. Nowadays, we edit out all the extraneous detail or delete less than perfect shots. We end up with beautiful photos that capture exactly what we meant to capture, but little of the inconvenient, messy, and distracting background that we live our lives against….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Aileen. I really appreciate your comments – diving is absolutely like a window into another world. I love your perspective about the detail in backgrounds. You are so right.
Although I suppose the counter balance is that today we have digital photography and have the freedom to take and re-take hundreds of photos instead of being confined by the limits of a roll of film. Perhaps these days we capture more of the incidental, everyday,real moments than before…swings and roundabouts I guess!
LikeLiked by 1 person
True. Guess we weren’t as inclined to take four hundred photos of the one scene when we had to pay to have them developed!:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! I don’t know whether it is better, but it is certainly a very different outlook now.
LikeLike
Thank you so so much for sharing these. I’m so glad you had this light bulb moment! I love underwater photography, and here you have some wonderful shots!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Me too! Every time I do an underwater themed post it makes me ache to get back in the water. Luckily I’ve got a day of diving coming up next week, so not too long to wait! :o)
LikeLike
That’s so exciting. I hope you’ll post some pictures!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ll see – the water visibility is shocking at this time of year here, so there may not be much to show, but at least I’ll get wet! :o)
LikeLike
Pingback: One Word Photo Challenge: Mint | Jennifer Nichole Wells