Looking to capture Moray Eel images

Dann-Oh wrote:

Hey there,

I'm heading out on a dive boat this weekend where I am hoping to try to capture a few Moray Eel images and hopefully some Nudi images. I will be diving with my Olympus EPL10, I have the lens options of 8mm Fisheye and 60mm Macro. I'm not too sure which I should use? I know that I can (and will need to) get close to the eels if I use 8mm. I will be using the Backscatter MF1 for a strobe.

I'm diving in Southern California, USA with water temps in the mid 50s to low 60s °F

Any thoughts, tips, techniques would be appreciated.

Hi Dann,

I have already written a general opinion to your question in Wetpixel: https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/67721-looking-to-capture-moray-eel-images/

Here I can exploit the ability to post some photos at good resolution to exemplify what I mean:

#1.: First, I could not find a murray eel image of mine taken with the Zuiko 8mm. The widest is an image taken with the Canon 8-15mm fisheye plus Kenko 1.4x TC (EM1II):

Canon 8-15mm, 1.4x TC, EM1II, 21mm, f/8, 1/250s, ISO200 .

#2.: It may be possible to get an image of a morray eel that is big enough, but this will turn out to be difficult and harass the animal. Here a photo of a resting turtle that was taken with the Zuiko 8mm fisheye. I had to approach it very close, so that the turtle already raised its head to look at the domeport. I made the photo, retracted and the turtle stood still and continued to rest - but it was really borderline to a harassment:

Zuiko 8mm, EM5II, f/9, 1/200s, ISO200.

#3.: Here a portrait of a murray eel, taken with the Zuiko 60mm macrolens. I am not satisfied with the perspective and it was taken in the very clear waters of the Red Sea:

Zuiko 60mm, EM1II, f/9, 1/250s, ISO200.

#4.: While fish portrait of murray eels with 8mm fisheye may not be a good idea, a murray eel in the foreground and scenry in the background may be a great motif for CFWA...

#5.: Zuiko 60mm with the MF-1 macroflash is perfect for sea-slugs and maybe also cleaner shrimp in the mouth of amurray eel...

Wolfgang