Ring of Confidence

Mark Webster · Issue 2, Oct/Nov 2001 · pp. 14–15

Products mentioned: Inon Quad Flash, Subal housing, Nikon F90X, Sea & Sea YS30, 105mm macro lens

Imagine you are cruising the reef with your trusty housing and 105mm macro lens looking for small critters to fill the frame. Your patience is rewarded when you spot the most gorgeous triple fin blenny sitting in the perfect position in a small crack in the reef. You approach slowly thinking about lighting angles and avoiding shadows and begin to adjust your flash arms, loosening fittings or creaking your bendy arms into position. Adjust the aperture as you raise the camera to focus on the blenny and approach slowly - at that moment the blenny high tails it leaving only a puff of dust suspended in the water! How often has this happened to you and why won’t these fish co- operate and sit still?! The answer, for me, lies partly in the appearance of not only the camera and diver behind it but also the looming flash guns which are threatening to attack from the side. There is an answer to th…