419 Dive Log Australasia AUGUST 2026

Once the dive group had some confidence, I insisted that the buddy pairs swim shoulder to shoulder. Invariably, someone would swim at the feet of their buddy and get kicked in the head a few times. Lesson learned; I would remind them to stay shoulder to shoulder so you can communicate with your buddy and share discoveries and come to each other’s aid, if needed. Getting kicked in the head is your fault. Do something to prevent it happening again. Same applies to Underwater photography. Keep away from your buddy’s feet. Also keep your buddy’s feet from kicking away that stunning nudibranch you just discovered. You do have to follow rules otherwise you get errors. Once you have some basic skills, it is about getting out there and taking lots of shots. Failure should be seen as an opportunity for learning from your mistakes. My diver who got kicked in the head would be reminded that correct buddy position is important and lazy swimming near the feet of the buddy caused the problem. It was their own fault! Real improvement comes from shooting lots and lots, taking more photos and making an effort. It takes work, discipline and dedication.

Do not wait for that ‘magical moment. Just keep practising over and over. Natural light / Flash Fill photogrpahy

My buddy from Tahiti, Sly and I are taking turns trying to capture a good shot in Komodo.

Most of my wide angle photographs are natural light photos with flash filling the dark spots and highlighting the colours. i.e Flash Fill photography.

The 16 to 35mm Wide Angle lens gives great depth of field and is perfect for capturing multiple subjects.

38

DIVE LOG Australasia #419 - August ‘26

www.divelog.net.au