School's out

Mark Webster · Issue 45, Nov/Dec 2008 · pp. 62–65

Products mentioned: Nikon D300, Nikon D100, Subal ND20, Light & Motion Titan housing, 10-17mm fisheye zoom, 10.5mm fisheye lens, Subtronic Mini flash guns

One of the most exciting experiences for any diver is to get close to large numbers of schooling fish, swim with them and perhaps even enter the shoal and become a part of it for a few moments. This experience is perhaps even more exciting for a photographer as it enables you to get very close to your subject and perhaps fill the frame entirely with fish. Many schooling fish are normally wary of letting a diver get too close, so we should make the most of the opportunity when it arises and adopt the best techniques to ensure that the images we capture are a success. It also helps to understand a little about schooling fish behaviour which can help you make the best approach when you encounter a shoal. So, exactly why do fish school together and how do they achieve the incredible discipline and communication required to behave as a single entity? Research has shown that approximately one …