419 Dive Log Australasia AUGUST 2026

BUILDING COMPOSITE PHOTOS 1 DIVE 1 I dived on the Fiji Siren. I As we sailed close to home, we dived at the

legendary dive known as E6. I managed to get some time alone without any other divers present. There was a large soft coral which made a great foreground. I found a low position below it with a window to the sky above. and experimented with a few angles trying to manage / exclude most the dark roof of the cave to the right and the sky at top left and the soft coral tree. So far so good. After a few moments and to my absolute delight, a friendly Checkerboard wrasse swam back and forth across the scene. I spent ten minutes in photographic heaven trying to capture all of the elements in the scene. I wanted the fish entering the negative space in the foreground, the soft coral in the middle and the sky light background. The three elements of good composition. That was Dive 1 done and dusted. DIVE 2 I spoke to Mattias, the Fijian Dive Guide and asked him if he could model for me. As always, Fijians are super helpful so with a big broad smile, he agreed. I showed him the photo above and drew a pencil drawing of the effect I wanted to capture so he was crystal clear about his role. I explained that I wanted him as a silhouette in the sunbeams. He had excellent buoyancy control as well as lots of patience. It was up, down, left, right trying to place him in the sunbeams. At the same time, I wanted to fit all of the soft coral in and also to have the Checkerboard wrasse swim in front of the coral. This was a challenge. Naturally, another few dives with my model, the sunbeams and the fish and coral could have made a better result but the ship had to sail. I have not been back to that dive site for ten years. If only.... i had another chance.

46

DIVE LOG Australasia #419 - August ‘26

www.divelog.net.au