Patience and Timing are the Keys to Getting the Shot
You may recognize this small, beautiful fish from it’s one claim to fame as Gurgle, the pessimistic clean-freak member of the Tank Gang in Finding Nemo. Shooting Fairy Basslets presents several challenges, as they are quite small (most are under 3 inches) and they are in constant frantic motion.
Unlike the juvenile Drum, who tends to swim a pattern in a small space, these little basslets are less predictable. However, as with the Drum, patience can payoff when shooting any small, quick fish.
While they don’t swim a distinct pattern, they do tend to stay in their own little neighborhood and return to the same spots. The orange sponge seems to be a favorite place for this small school. The trick is to hover quietly with very little movement until they become accustomed to your presence. Rather than following a fish with the camera in hopes of keeping it in the frame, it’s much better to compose the picture you want and wait for a fish to swim into it – a bit like a predator waiting for dinner to swim by.
And, just as the predator may strike many times before catching dinner, the photographer will probably need to shoot many images before getting the prize. It helps to keep an eye on the camera screen and also on the activity just outside the frame and anticipate when your target will enter the shot.
This is where patience is essential, not just from the shooter, but from the shooter’s dive buddy as well.
Location: Belize
Camera: Canon EOS M50
Housing: Ikelite
Lens: Canon EF-M 28mm macro
Light: Single Ikelite DS 160 with dome diffuser
