Lizzie Lives Makai
Outside the Window- A Short Mindfulness Exercise
Do you know what’s outside your window? Sit and look— really look— at the view. My window faces northwest: I can see storm clouds growing and the sunset. Can you see the clouds from your window? Rain clouds are always the most intriguing. Cold fronts look like a fold in the sky, a wrinkle in the heaven’s sheets. Thunderstorms look like anvils. If I lean forward, I can see the belltower of one of my city’s oldest hotels. I can see a library too but the lights of the fifth floor are always off. I can also see some of the other windows from my building. Each one with their own life inside, flickering with different colors and all the antics that arise when we’re alone. Some always have their shades down, and some always leave them up. If I sit at just the right angle on my bed, leaning against the wall, I can watch someone else’s television. During the day, I can see a few patches of the lake through the treetops. Sometimes the fish jump. Every once in a while, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to see an osprey swoop down and snatch up its dinner. They like to sit at the very top of the nearest building where they can keep an eye on the world as they feast. What’s outside your window? Is it going to storm? Do you have trees? Sometimes I can see the local parakeets perching among the branches. They’re noisy, but they live here just like we do. What birds can you see? Do they sing often? Taking a moment to appreciate the small wonders of our world can help ground you and refresh your mind. By doing so, you can feel more focused on the task at hand. No window, no worries! This mindfulness exercise can still be done by sitting quietly with your eyes closed. Imagine your favorite place outdoors. Since we’re working with only our minds, be sure to engage all of your senses. If your favorite place is a beach, can you smell the salt air? How about the sun-warmed sand under your feet? If your favorite place is in the woods, can you hear the creatures stirring gently all around you? Perhaps there’s an owl in the tree, or a deer stepping lightly through the underbrush. Can you hear waves crashing, or trees rustling? Or are you somewhere else entirely? Meditation can be hard, but starting out with just one minute at a time of this simple exercise can help improve your overall mood. Sometimes, all we need is to take a step back from our daily grind. So go on, readers, give it a try! Set your timer for one minute, relax, and think of your favorite spot outdoors.
My Favorite Marine Life to Photograph
Hi readers! For all of my fellow underwater photography enthusiasts, here’s a list of my preferred subjects! Reef fish have wide ranges in shape and color; making the possibilities endless when it comes to getting interesting pictures. While some photography subjects are easier than others, each one of them holds a special place inside me when it comes to diving. 1. Queen Angels (angelfish in general) Absolutely stunning. Not very hard to take pictures of because any kind of picture you take will come out super ~aesthetic~. My desktop wallpaper is a curious Gray Angel that was hardly six inches away from my camera. 2. Pipe Fish Sit in one place. Wait until you’re barely a foot away to move and even then, they don’t move very fast. Come in bright colors but sometimes they blend in really well. 3. Christmas Tree Worms Benthic (meaning they don’t move at all). Come in a variety of colors and will always hold still for you. 4. Fish that Swim Alone (Sometimes or most of the time) Barracudas Jacks Hamlets Eels Groupers *Warning: while eels and barracudas are striking specimens, please keep in mind that they are known for their aggression. Always keep a safe distance and be a responsible photographer. 5. Corals Perfect for practicing! They won’t ever swim away from you, and most come in incredibly striking colors. 6. Really Small Things That Live on the Coral Corals, aside from being good target practice, often have amazing little surprises living on, around, and even inside of them! Underwater, the possibilities are endless. 7. Parrotfish Always a classic: bright colors and easily recognizable. 8. Damselfish Juveniles often sport striking colors. They are territorial over their algae gardens and tend to stay in the same area, even when chasing another fish away. 9. Glass Gobies These little guys are my biggest challenge! Even though they rest on coral heads, they always seem to know exactly when my camera shutter is about to go off because they always However, their translucent skin makes them intriguing and beautiful.
Top 5 Things You Should Be Able to Identify If You Live in South Florida
Water Edition 1. Fire Coral Being an avid diver puts this at the top of my list. While it won’t kill you, Fire Coral can be very painful if you come into contact with it. Touching it WILL make your skin feel like it’s burning. It grows where most corals grow- sometimes in even more shallow waters and deeper than you might expect. It can be easily spotted due to its orange/red color, but only at well-lit depths. Remember, after five meters depth you will no longer be able to see the color red without supplemental light. Fire Coral can be fingering (branching), bladed (flat but still growing upright), or encrusting (covers the surface it is growing on). It is not very picky about where it lives. When doing maintenance on the coral trees in Bonaire, many of us were stung by the encrusting Fire Coral on the branches that held our coral fragments. If you do find yourself stung, vinegar is said to alleviate the stinging and itching. Personally, it does not work for me. Instead, I opt to grab a handful of sand and scrub out the microscopic barbs. Either way, the stinging should subside quickly if you didn’t touch too much of it. Fire Coral has tiny polyps that are equipped with venomous barbs, the same way a jellyfish’s tentacles are (corals and jellyfish are both in the phylum Cnidaria). While it is usually harmful to the corals to be touched, this coral can harm you. Branching fire coral. Encrusting and bladed fire coral; Bonaire. 2. Lionfish Looks like a great aquarium pet, right? That’s exactly what someone else thought…until it ate all the other fish. The exotic pet trade is responsible for almost all of the invasive species found in South Florida today. People think they know what they’re getting, but when they are dissatisfied, they simply release the animal where it doesn’t belong. For example, the Lionfish. Beautiful, with its red and white stripe, but this fish is highly venomous. If you are stung, the swelling and pain can last for days, and even cause paralysis. The Lionfish’s spines contain a potent neurotoxin that is still active after death. For those that want to hunt and prepare their own Lionfish, do so with thick gloves and RESEARCH the proper techniques to safely fillet. It is recommended you seek medical attention immediately, but the official treatment is hot water. That being said, the water should not be above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Then you’ll have burns and a Lionfish sting to worry about. Lionfish are extremely invasive; they have decimated many important reef populations and make it incredibly difficult for species to recover. Hunting them for your Friday night fish fry is the best thing you can do for the reefs, but if you cannot do it safely, you shouldn’t attempt it at all. Lionfish displaying its spines; Bonaire. 3. Jellyfish (Some Hurt More Than Others) My least favorite animal in the whole ocean. Personal bias aside, there are a few types you should know. The one you will likely have the most encounters with - especially if you love going to the beach - is sea lice. It’s not as bad as it sounds. While they WILL cause uncomfortable burning and maybe itching, they are not actually lice! Sea lice are just tiny jellyfish babies that get stressed out when they get stuck in your swimsuit; that’s when the stinging occurs. Now, we’ve all heard that peeing stops the sting. PLEASE don’t pee on your friend! There are MANY various brands of sting relief (usually in gel form), and I give my personal guarantee that they are much more effective - also less embarrassing - than urine. Next up is the comb jelly. These little guys can’t do anything to you, even though they are jellyfish. So, if you’ve always wanted to know what those brainless, eyeless, and boneless little blobs felt like, you can touch comb jellies all you want. I don’t like ANY jellyfish so I kept a minimum six-foot distance before it was cool. Moon jellies and Cassiopeia’s are two other jellies you’ll interact a lot with in South Florida. While moon jellies can be found virtually anywhere (including your face, as my divemaster once had the pleasure of experiencing), Cassiopeia’s stick to the ground. Literally. These filter feeders rest upside down in seagrass beds; usually in shallow water. While it won’t hurt terribly (either one of you) if you step on one, you should still avoid it. Moon jellies hurt about the same as sea lice. My final jellyfish (actually it is a siphonophore, a close relative) is, unfortunately, not so forgiving in its encounters. The Portuguese Man o’ War is not to be trifled with. Depending on the situation, the situation can be mild or life-threatening. Like any jellyfish sting, new studies by the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the National University of Ireland in Galway have found that you can also treat Man o’ War stings with vinegar and mild warmth. Be very careful when performing any sort of rinse over a jellyfish sting, as you can end up spreading the stinging cells (nematocysts) over a larger area. Just like lionfish, Man o’ Wars can sting even in death; so be careful if you see one in the sand. Author’s Note: This is why you should reuse plastic bags as much as possible, don’t use a plastic straw if you don’t need it, and cut your six-pack rings before throwing them away - I need turtles to stay alive and healthy so they can continue eating jellyfish! Sea lice (larvae) Comb Jelly Moon Jellyfish Cassiopeia Jellyfish Portuguese Man o’ War 4. Staghorn/Elkhorn Coral Don’t worry, these can’t hurt you. Why are they on the list, then? Reefs all over the world are under siege from rising ocean temperatures and acidification; especially in South Florida, which boasts one of the largest barrier reef systems. I’ve done lots of restoration work on these two species in particular, and they really are magnificent. Both of these hard corals (meaning, they leave behind a limestone skeleton) look similar to their namesake, making them easily identifiable. The next time you are visiting a reef, look for one or both. Seeing an abundance of these two corals means the reef is extremely healthy: there will be lots of fish hiding in the ‘thickets’ of staghorn coral. However, if you don’t see them, it doesn’t necessarily mean the reef is unhealthy or dying. Staghorn and elkhorn grow in relatively shallow waters. If you are on a wreck or a wall; you may not encounter these two corals, and it’s okay! Staghorn Coral, Bonaire (Photos: Lizzie) Elkhorn Coral 5. Crocodile vs. Alligator This one is easier than it sounds AND will give you some brownie points. First, alligators and crocodiles rarely inhabit the same area. Crocodiles can move from freshwater to saltwater, while alligators stick to freshwater. The closer you are to the ocean, the more likely you’re looking at a croc. Next, their snouts are different. Alligators have a very round snout, while crocodiles have sharp taper. Their overall color is also a good indicator; alligators are much darker than the crocodiles’ olive hue. While both can be dangerous, alligators are said to be more aggressive and territorial than crocodiles. After mating season, when females are guarding their nests, it’s best not to go near either one. Both alligators and crocodiles will hiss to warn you away. This hiss is loud and clearly heard. You will immediately know when you have made Mama angry. Another difference is their teeth. Crocs show off nearly all of their teeth when their mouth is closed, while alligators only sport their upper teeth. Hopefully, you’ll never be in a situation where you have to resort to this method. In any case, the shape of their snouts and overall color will be your best bet. American Alligator Saltwater Crocodile
This Hurricane Season: A User’s Guide to the NHC Website
1. Main Page On the Main page of the NHC website, you will immediately find yourself looking at a map of the Atlantic, the Caribbean, northern South America, and eastern North America. A key at the bottom of the image explains color coded X’s and cyclone formation. But what do those really mean? The ‘disturbances’ (marked by a yellow, orange, or red X) are essentially really big thunderstorms that have ideal conditions to become a hurricane. Hurricanes need low wind shear (nothing to oppose them), lots of warm water, and low atmospheric pressure in order to form and maintain shape. If it’s been an extremely hot summer, you can almost count on an active season. In 2005 there was record warmth…and the most active hurricane season recorded (28 tropical cyclones, 15 turned into hurricanes). After a disturbance is recorded, it has the potential to become a tropical storm, a hurricane, or a major hurricane. A tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour. Anything more becomes a hurricane; and after 111 miles per hour the storm is considered a major hurricane. Tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes are all different forms of tropical cyclones with different maximum wind speeds. All of them can be dangerous if you are not properly prepared. 2. Data & Tools > Satellite Imagery // Data & Tools > Analysis Tools This is where the meat of the NHC lies. I have spent countless hours looking through infrared loops and images with every hurricane, tropical storm, and depression. Personally, my favorite view is of the Caribbean, but you are free to choose. Under each regional view will be a small list of options: GeoColor, Visible, Shortwave-IR, IR, and Water Vapor. I’ll explain all their functions in the next section. First, it’s important to understand what all these links are for. The NHC website is, essentially, one giant data dump. There is immense access to everything past and present. If you find yourself exploring; you’re likely to stumble across the observation data and pages of text. While they can be a hard to understand for non-scientists, they contain important information about storm center location, speed history, wind history, sea surface temperature, etc. All of which are vital to accurate forecasting. You’ll want to stick to the pictures. They are much easier to digest and are also easily found if you know where to look! Don’t worry: Lizzie spends hours on the website so you don’t have to. Satellite imagery is best for your run-of-the-mill, public consumption hurricane imagery. These will likely be the kind of stuff you see on your local weather channel, accessible on your computer or phone. Under Satellite Imagery, you can scroll to your preferred view and select a GOES image. GeoColor and Shortwave IR are best for quickly understanding what the storm looks like and its intensity. Under Analysis Tools, you’ll find a table with a few different types data. One of the most important is Sea Surface Temperature. With this graphic, you can form your own prediction about where the storm will hit! Fun Tip: Print out a blank tracking map from Data & Tools. Record the path you think the storm will take, the NHC’s prediction, and the actual path. After several days, you will see who was more accurate! 3. IR? GeoColor? Clean and dirty? First things first: IR means infrared! This is likely the most comprehensible of the viewing modes. As you get closer to the center of the storm, the worse conditions get. Thus, the image goes from blue, to green, to yellow, to red. As you might have already guessed, a giant red blotch is definitely something to be worried about. My favorite view is clean longwave IR. I know; Lizzie what does that even mean?! Believe it or not, storms are hot (hence, the red center). Hurricanes in particular are massive energy deposits that love high temperature surface water and low pressure. But back to viewing: clean IR will pick up less water vapor interference than dirty IR. The difference is not that important for viewing purposes, and is really a matter of personal preference. Whatever band you use, you should understand what you’re looking at. GeoColor is the simplest: it shows land and ocean in full color, and the full expanse of storm clouds. With any longwave infrared viewing, just remember that red is almost always bad. I don’t like to use shortwave because it can be harder to conceptualize that a blue storm is bad. Whichever you choose, remember the readings will be in Celsius. As a relative point of conversion, remember 28/82 and 16/61. 28 degrees Celsius is 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and 16 degrees Celsius is 61 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Be Prepared Whether you’re new to hurricanes or have lived with them for years, one thing is certain: being unprepared can have disastrous consequences. There are many resources online provided by both citizens and the government on how to best prepare; keep in mind there is no single correct way to prepare. Your best chance will be to start as early as possible, and don’t leave anything to chance. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. On the NHC main page, follow the Education Resources tab for their extensive database of hurricane preparation including, presentations, publications, and even games (if you have kids) that teach about the ideal conditions for a hurricane.
A Trip to Dry Tortugas
Dry Tortugas National Park - the most beautiful waters you can see without leaving the country. Named for the abundance of turtles and the lack of a freshwater source, this island is truly something everyone should try to experience. Getting there can be difficult. Private boat owners are often warned away from it unless the captain is an experienced mariner. While it seems straightforward, ocean weather and boat equipment can sometimes be unpredictable. This is not a trip where you can rely on GPS alone - you should be prepared to use charts and your own experience if the need arises. Once close to the island, the harbor is well marked, but can become a challenge if you are not careful. Located just north of the Gulf Stream, the Dry Tortugas/Garden Key is surrounded by steep shoals and barrier reefs. This is not a trip to make unprepared. If you are not a boat owner, there is a daily ferry that departs early in the morning. It brings day-trippers and campers alike. That’s right! You can camp right next to Fort Jefferson. Beach camping is a popular Florida must-do and it doesn’t get more pristine than Dry Tortugas. The reefs there have been untouched for decades; a diver’s dream! Don’t believe me? Dry Tortugas became a National Park in 1935! If boating isn’t your style, there are seaplanes that go back and forth throughout the day between Key West and Garden Key. The Park does not provide food or freshwater. If you are planning on camping, make sure to bring more than you think you need! It is better to leave with extra than to leave early because you didn’t bring enough. Fort Jefferson, even as the largest brick structure in the United States, is easily walkable in only a few hours. Dry Tortugas National Park is a completely unique Florida Keys experience…but unfortunately, it is a very short one. For my new readers: I am an experienced diver and snorkeler, and a budding underwater photographer. While going slow enough to take pictures and teach my mom how to take a REEF.org Reef Fish Identification and Abundance survey, we still swam around the entire moat wall in about two hours (that’s being generous). The moat wall is a very shallow reef - too close to the surface for many corals and therefore comprised largely of encrusting corals and sea fans. There are a few other kinds of soft corals, but relatively low biodiversity when compared to deeper reefs. However, this doesn’t make it any less beautiful! The fish are high in abundance and, if you’re lucky, you may see a few other critters such as an octopus or sea hare! Just three miles West of Garden Key and Fort Jefferson is another must-see: Loggerhead Key! If you are a private boat owner, there are two mooring buoys that you may use for up to two hours. This is another attraction that inexperienced boaters are warned away from: due to the massive coral heads that dot the surrounding area. If you’re willing to take a short walk around, Loggerhead offers a magnificent historic lighthouse and the beautiful Little Africa reef (named for its shape from an aerial view). When snorkeling such a shallow reef, it’s important to remember some general rules that keep you and the reef safe: Do not stand anywhere on the reef. If you have to readjust your mask, move to deeper water and kick to stay afloat; or move to a barren sandy area. Standing on the corals can do great harm to the reef and your person. Do not touch any corals or creatures. Corals excrete an important mucus layer that protects them from the sun and harsh seawater; the oils on our skin can take it away and leave them exposed! Certain fish are poisonous to touch, and even if they aren’t, you shouldn’t be touching anything that can turn around to bite you. When diving, it is best to keep your hands to yourself! It is Federal law that nothing can be removed from a National Park. Just because Dry Tortugas is underwater, doesn’t make it an exception to the rule. Everything plays an important role in its ecosystem - no matter how small. While it’s important to protect your skin from the sun, it’s also important for the reef to stay healthy. Do your best to use a sunscreen that does not contain oxybenzone; a chemical that is harmful to coral tissues. Zinc based sunscreens will do a better job of protecting you anyway (trust me, I’ve tried every kind there is)! If you are unable to get sunscreen without oxybenzone, make sure to apply way in advance. By giving the sunscreen time to be absorbed by your skin, not only will you be less likely to get burned, but also the chemicals are less likely to leech out into the water.
Happy Father's Day
Let’s not forget how much we can learn from each other! Don’t forget to call your dad/father figure this Father’s Day and tell him how much you appreciate him. Ten Things My Dad Has Taught Me: How to light fireworks with expired flares. Pull up, reel down. Start reeling after two tugs, but don’t ESPN-it. Unplug the toaster before using a fork to get your toast. Brown, brown run a-ground. Blue, blue sail on through. Green, green nice and clean. Black, black head on back. How to tow something in an already oversized truck. How to properly pour concrete so you don’t get puddles and have a good foundation How to fish and tie my own hook How to hunt sustainably. Shoot the flare gun twice Ten Things I Taught My Dad: Red, red arrowhead. White, white screw on tight. Black, black salty back. Red next to yellow, kill a fellow. How to use the NHC website past looking at the cone Everything about water polo How to identify poisonwood, willow, and gumbo limbo. The importance of corals and how they grow How to identify venomous vs. nonvenomous snakes How to find the North Star How to find Hidden Mickeys How a man should treat a woman
World Oceans Day
Over recent years, I’ve been able to put in an astounding amount of work to help the environmental community…especially at my age. However, I am fully aware not everyone has access to the same opportunities and experiences. This World Ocean’s Day, I’d like to take a moment to bring attention to exactly why our oceans are suffering. On World Environment Day, I briefly discussed ocean acidification, temperature rise, and microplastics. Today, I get to explain some of those in more detail! Ocean acidification is almost exactly what it sounds like. Remember when I mentioned that the ocean is a giant carbon dioxide scrubber? Well, all the extra greenhouse gases being absorbed by surface waters causes them to become more acidic. Humans are literally changing the pH of the ocean. It may seem very minor, but this has a dire effect on corals and certain planktons. Scientists actually use plankton such as Emiliania huxleyi (coccolithophore) and Limacina helicina (pteropod) to determine the rate and impact of ocean acidification in various studies. These microscopic plankton produce calcium bicarbonate shells (the same compound that coral skeletons are made of), making them a crunchy snack for other plankton and organisms in their larval stage. However, with ocean acidification becoming more and more prominent, the very base of the ocean’s food chain is literally dissolving. It is theorized that one outcome of acidic oceans will be jellyfish-dominated ecosystems. Since I’ve yet to mention it: I absolutely cannot stand jellyfish. They are my least favorite creature on this Earth. A jellyfish dominated ocean would be my worst nightmare. Unfortunately, plankton are not the only ones breaking down. Coral reefs are made up of two main types of coral: hard and soft. Hard corals are the ‘reef-builders’. Their rigid skeletons generally withstand the impact of waves and currents. By doing so, they provide shelter for the fish and other organisms that give birth on the reef. In addition to being nurseries, they are used as protection from larger predators (like sharks). Soft corals also perform vital functions. They contribute to breaking up wave impact, and help the reef to effectively protect our shorelines from eroding away. Although they were once thought to be little more than a sort of veneer on the rockface of the reef, they actually provide vital homes to snails, smaller fish, and even algae. However, reefs are very picky about the temperature they live in. Escalation in greenhouse gases has caused excessive heat to be trapped in our atmosphere. Part of the ocean’s key function is to absorb a lot of that heat, which is what makes Earth such a suitable temperature for life to thrive. Only now the ocean is absorbing too much heat at a faster rate, and the reefs cannot adjust. You may have heard of a phenomenon known as ‘coral bleaching’. This occurs in hard corals when the symbiotic algae (called zooxanthellae) that resides in coral tissue cannot provide enough food, and is expelled. I like to think of corals as micro-apartment buildings. Each polyp and its zooxanthellae live in one room. It is the zooxanthellae’s job to absorb sunlight and provide energy for the coral through photosynthesis. However, when it gets too hot, the zooxanthellae stop producing food. Since they are no longer holding up their part of the rent, the polyp kicks out their bad roommate, but as a result they essentially starve themselves to death. Corals can recover from a bleaching event, but they often do not when the stress is too great. Soft corals have a very different reaction. They simply melt away. Coral reefs are incredibly delicate systems, and require many moving parts in order to function. They are also integral to many other ecosystems within the ocean. Without reefs, scientists believe it is possible that the entire ocean could collapse. Without the ocean to support fisheries and tourism, many subsequent countries— who rely on these for national income and resources - would suffer greatly. If you would like to learn more, I highly recommend watching Chasing Coral on Netflix. I have had the opportunity to meet one of the amazing team members, who worked with us firsthand on my high school restoration project in Bonaire. Digital media is becoming incredibly prominent in the globalization of this generation, and it is utterly important that we learn to use these powers to spread the facts. By spreading facts, you allow other people to develop their own interests and conclusions. As a Marine Affairs student, my goal is to help shorten the ‘divide’ between scientists and citizens.
An Amateur’s Guide to Amateur Underwater Photography
At some point, all of us underwater photographers have taken to the internet to uncover the big secret that makes the pros…well…the pros. Personally, I’ve wasted countless hours gleaning through a perfectly made blog telling me how to take pictures with a camera that costs more than my college tuition. As an amateur, I thought I’d share my experiences with my simple camera. The first thing you should learn, as an underwater photographer, is that there is no zoom underwater. Many underwater camera models will not include zoom at all, but if your camera has it, I highly advise not to use it. Zooming in will distort the quality of your photo. This is a pretty easy adjustment if you are SCUBA diving since you can hover in one place. However, if you’re like me, freediving does not stop you from bringing your camera; but now you don’t have the luxury of staying still. The fastest way out would be to switch to video. I have unsteady hands, even in the water, so I take full advantage of the split second before you start floating away by diving down with my camera already outstretched. If your camera model has some sort of high-speed shutter function, you could always make use of that. Me? I just hope my fingers move fast enough. One of the chief obstacles in underwater photography is the lighting. If you don’t already know, losing light means losing color as depth increases. After about five meters, we will begin to lose the color red. The deeper you go, the less colors you can see until only blue is left. Without enough light, the other colors simply appear in varying shades of gray. Fortunately, just because we cannot see them does not mean they are not there. Some divers prefer to have a constant source of light (usually the ones that tape video), while others use flash. I highly recommend investing in an external flash rig (compatible with your own camera). Many wrecks in Florida are deeper, and my built-in flash just wasn’t cutting it. The edges of my pictures were still coming out drab and murky. You should also make sure your flash rig has a diffuser. Leave the diffuser on for close shots, and remove it for distance. If you leave it on for a distance shot, your target will be blurry, and every sea particle will not only come out unfairly clear, but highlighted by your flash. Another thing I had to get over quickly was feeling bad for blinding the fish. While you should be careful of blinding other divers, the fish have never seemed to mind. I’ve taken several flash pictures of a green moray as it stared right at me, but it didn’t seem to mind. (Side note: make sure to keep a respectful distance from morays- they pack a nasty bite). I’ve come to theorize that the inhabitants of popular dive sites are somewhat desensitized to it. Many underwater cameras also have a ‘red filter’ setting or even a separate lens. This, like flash, can greatly enhance the color of your pictures. This is especially important when taking pictures of fish, and trust me, you WILL want to capture their spectacular colors. Fish are my favorite to photograph; even the images that we would consider “just okay” earn lots of attention from non-photographers. Finally, if your photo storage system has some sort of ‘auto-correction’ function, make use of it. I recently discovered that the automatic suggestion took my pictures to an entirely new level. For a long time, I’ve struggled with trying to perfect my flash exposure and timing. Many of my pictures were just still too dull, even in shallow waters with flash on. I thought I would need a new camera entirely. Using the auto-correction makes a huge difference. See for yourself: pick the photo you are most proud of and apply it. You will not be disappointed. Most importantly, you should enjoy taking underwater photos or videos. It should not be a source of stress while diving; but an enhancement to the whole experience. I myself prefer to take pictures and conduct REEF Identification Surveys, but it’s not for everyone. Some people like to dive and simply observe, taking pictures with their mind. If you love the water, SCUBA diving is a next-level intimacy. Whether you are an amateur photographer or a pro- or even just an observer- I encourage everyone to SCUBA dive. After all, how can we protect our oceans if people don’t even know what’s down there? Below are technique examples and mistakes from my various dives using a SeaLife DC2000. Diffuser Comparison: Far vs. Close Flash Comparison: Extremely High Setting (External Flash) vs. Built-In Flash (Deep Dive) Extra close, low flash setting, diffuser on. Flash Comparison with Fish Original vs. Corrected