Diver UK – July 2019

PHOTO TECHNIQUE

37 divEr

Misool for mantas

M

ISOOL IN RAJA AMPATis a dream
location for corals and reef life, but the
more I think about it, it is also my
favourite place to photograph reef manta rays.
There are lots of locations around the world
where you can see majestic mantas, but Misool
offers something special.
First, there are lots of mantas and their numbers
are going up and up; in the first six years of the
reserve, both shark and manta ray numbers rose
2000%.
Second, the area has multiple cleaning stations
for divers to visit, and diver numbers are strictly
controlled so that only one boat can visit a site at a
time, which means that there is no wall of bubbles
between you and the action.
I love shooting mantas there because the reefs are
rich and flourishing. Reef mantas are great subjects
on their own, but it is even better to tell their story

by including some attractive scenery in the shot.

Compositionally, this means keeping a cool head

and seeing the whole picture, not just “bullseyeing”

the manta and clipping out the reef.

Lighting these shots is a challenge, and I typically

position my strobes in the 10 and 2 o’clock positions

to produce a more even spread of light on both the

reef and manta.

Now I just need the manta to come close, and the

trick is to stay still and stay low – nobody ever got

a good manta photo by chasing one.

I try a look for an attractive coral outcrop, and

duck in behind it with my back to any current.

Mantas usually approach a cleaning station

upcurrent and the outcrop conceals me as they

approach, and then provides me with a foreground

when I shoot the action with my wide-angle lens.

Reef Manta, taken with a Nikon D5 and Nikon

28-70mm lens with Nauticam WACP. Subal

housing. Seacam strobes. 1/200th @ f/9, ISO 400.