Underwater

Henry Jager Photography

http://www.conartix-photo.ch/home

http://1x.com/playlist/362489/popular

http://www.pixoto.com/henry.jager

 

What kind of equipment (camera body, lens, filters, flash, tripod, cleaning equipment other) do you use?

I’m using Olympus cameras since a long time. After working with their DSLRs like the E-3 and E-5 I switched to their mirrorless systems (OM-D E-M5) and now to their new flagship, the E-M1. I use Nauticam housings to shoot underwater together with the INON Z240 strobes and Light & Motion’s SolaVideo and SolaPhoto products.

To perform model shooting and studio photography I use also a Nikon D800E equipement.

What do you like and dislike about your equipment, specially your camera, and how would you improve it?

Besides the quality of the products, I’m fascinated how a small player like Olympus regularly brings inventions to the market which are really ahead of the big names.

My biggest dislike with my equipment is (or was) the size and weight of it. Flying with the DSLR to the dive destinations, an extra luggage of 32kg was needed just to transport the underwater part of the gear, having the camera and the lenses in the carry-on bag. This became much more convenient with the mirrorless systems.

What is your favourite lens, and why?

The m.Zuiko 60mm macro lens convinced me from the first shot. A brilliant sharpness, high resolution and a wonderful bokeh not reached by any other big name macro lenses made me love this lens till today.

When you travel, what is in your essential photographic kit bag?

Camera and lenses, underwater housing including several ports, external strobes and lights, attaching devices, plenty of memory cards, a 5 outlet power bar with adaptor, a lot of accus and charger, a laptop and an external drive to backup my pictures. When performing also top water photography, several filters and a tripod are essentials, too.

What kind of software/tools do you use for post-processing, if any?

I’m shooting raw and therefore I use postprocessing software. I use Adobe’s CS5 CameraRaw and Photoshop.

How long have you been taking photographs? How do you find inspiration? How do you take your pictures?

I started early in my youth taking pictures. I spent hours in the lab, the grammar school provided, developing the films and also adding creative effects while exposing on paper. Strangely I lost my hobby for years but recovered it 2007, starting with digital underwater photography. Enthusiasm drove photography to a never expected semi-pro level. Since a few months, I started also with experimental liquid and high speed photography connected with water in all its forms.

I get my Inspiration through beautiful sceneries, stress-free conditions and experimentation.

 

Which style of photography do you like the most, and why?

I don’t rank my different styles, I like underwater photography as well as my experimental liquids and high speed studio photography. They are so complete different and same exciting, that judging one as fav would not reflect my passion for both styles enough. And finally it’s the element water with all its life and physics etc. which is the core fascinating subject.

 

What goal are you working towards within your photography and when will you know you have reached it?

I want to show the beauty of the underwater world to the broad audience, to people who never have the chance to visit the reefs by themselves. You only protect, what you know and what you love. Therefore I see my work also as a contribution to preserve the nature’s biodiversity.

 

Looking at your own work, which piece is your favourite? Why? Please provide a link to the picture.

It’s the “Sardines Tornado”, A picture I made 2010 at Pescador Island, Philippines. It shows a school of sardines appearing like a tornado. Seconds after the shot, they passed in front of the sun and it darkened like with topside tornado, too. A picture full fo dynamic resulted and combined with the emotions experienced in that moment, leaving no doubt that this is my favourite photography.

Does your work fit into any one or more distinct genres (nature, landscape, long-exposure, black-and-white, infra-red, urban, artistic, macro, vintage, vernacular, social, street)? If other, please specify.

My works fit into underwater photography, nature, wildlife, and experimental/abstract

 

Are there any photography websites that you visit regularly?

1x.com
pixoto.com
theopen.ca
robinwong.blogspot.com
dxomark.com

 

What is the one most important lesson that you have learned since you started taking photographs?

Take your time and be patient. Anticipate the behaviour of the animals.

Mark Tipple Photography

  http://www.marktipple.com

https://www.facebook.com/MarkTipplePhoto

 

 

 

 

What kind of equipment (camera body, lens, filters, flash, tripod, cleaning equipment other) do you use?

Cameras: Canon 5D MkII, Canon 5D MkIII.

Lenses: Canon 16-35, Canon 24-105, Canon 100-400.

Underwater: Aquatech DC-5 v2 (with conversion kit for 5DIII), Aquatech LP-3 8″ Dome port , Aquatech 50mm extension ring, Aquatech LP-Z flat port.

 

What do you like and dislike about your equipment, specially your camera, and how would you improve it?

No complaints so far.

 

What is your favourite lens, and why?

Depends on the shoot, mainly close but wide so the 16-35 works well. For video I need IS though, so the 24-105 wins.

 

When you travel, what is in your essential photographic kit bag?

Depends on the shoot, if it’s underwater then obviously the underwater gear plus scuba (if required). If it’s a run and gun doco then a stripped down kit is easier than fussing with equipment and missing the story.

 

What kind of software/tools do you use for post-processing, if any?

Adobe Lightroom and Final Cut Pro.

 

How long have you been taking photographs? How do you find inspiration? How do you take your pictures?

I’ve been in video and photography for about 10 years now, swapping between both mediums. I suck at telling stories, so I use photo and video to fill in the blanks.

 

Which style of photography do you like the most, and why?

Real pictures, candid/documentary mainly. Environmental portraiture is also keeping me stoked at the moment.

 

What goal are you working towards within your photography and when will you know you have reached it?

I hope I never reach my goals. I want to tell stories about people who are doing cool things, with no real angle, just a simple engaging story.

 

Looking at your own work, which piece is your favourite? Why? Please provide a link to the picture.

West Away is my favourite film, www.marktipple.com/westaway, and the recent Shades of Morning series is my favourite photo series.

 

Does your work fit into any one or more distinct genres  (nature, landscape, long-exposure, black-and-white,  infra-red, urban, artistic, macro, vintage, vernacular, social, street)? If other, please specify.

I have no idea.

 

Are there any photography websites that you visit regularly?

www.aphotoeditor.com isn’t strictly photography related but is a necessity, then there’s the NY Times’ Lens Blog and a few other photojournalism sites.

 

What is the one most important lesson that you have learned since you started taking photographs?

Listen.

 

And finally, what other interesting photographers would you like to see in this blog?

A good friend Sarah Pabst is doing amazing work in South America