Below - Underwater photography in Alor, Indonesia
With some of the most pristine and untouched reefs I've ever seen, it's no wonder Alor has me going back year after year. As some of you are aware, about six months ago I finally picked up a housing for the camera after years of mental gymnastics on why I wasn’t going to do just that. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Creating and shooting while diving has been a such a good overlap of the venn diagram. I’m here for it and I reckon eating those words has been less than bitter.
The boys at Air Dive come with the same macro nerd energy I’ve come to embrace while diving, so the hunt was on for the small, the weird, the bizarre. High fives were had and scientific names thrown about. While Alor is known for its currents and big topography, it’s macro life is world class. From Rhinopias to rare symbiotic relationships to all the alien-like nudibranches, i’m never not awe inspired at what the ocean has just beneath the surface.
With some of the most pristine and untouched reefs I've ever seen, it's no wonder Alor has me going back year after year. As some of you are aware, about six months ago I finally picked up a housing for the camera after years of mental gymnastics on why I wasn’t going to do just that. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Creating and shooting while diving has been a such a good overlap of the venn diagram. I’m here for it and I reckon eating those words has been less than bitter.
The boys at Air Dive come with the same macro nerd energy I’ve come to embrace while diving, so the hunt was on for the small, the weird, the bizarre. High fives were had and scientific names thrown about. While Alor is known for its currents and big topography, it’s macro life is world class. From Rhinopias to rare symbiotic relationships to all the alien-like nudibranches, i’m never not awe inspired at what the ocean has just beneath the surface.
All shot with my sony kit in a Seafrogs housing with Kraken strobes
Travel Diary: Alor Archipelago, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia: Part 1
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’d know how special this place is for me. Alor sits to the far east of Indonesia and while I first started going here for diving (and still do, really) three years ago, I’ve come to appreciate everything above water maybe just as much as the incredible underwater vistas that initially drew me to this awe inspiring place. I only had maybe 30-40 minutes to shoot before hopping on the dive boat each day, but that allowed for morning strolls right when the light was getting good. I ventured out on some afternoons right at golden hour to see what I could find and had a couple of surface intervals on little local islands that provided for some amazing opportunities to meet some incredible craftspeople. That said, shooting wasnt my priority on this trip
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’d know how special this place is for me. Alor sits to the far east of Indonesia and while I first started going here for diving (and still do, really) three years ago, I’ve come to appreciate everything above water maybe just as much as the incredible underwater vistas that initially drew me to this awe inspiring place. I only had maybe 30-40 minutes to shoot before hopping on the dive boat each day, but that allowed for morning strolls right when the light was getting good. I ventured out on some afternoons right at golden hour to see what I could find and had a couple of surface intervals on little local islands that provided for some amazing opportunities to meet some incredible craftspeople. That said, shooting wasnt my priority on this trip, but even with the small windows where I could take some images, the opportunities were abundant. Right around the dive shop in Alor Kecil was my main area of shooting and after only a couple of days, I quickly noticed I was recognised as the hellos and handshakes started to emerge. I absolutely love this aspect of shooting when I travel. Using that magical little picture box as a way to break bread and meet new people is probably my favourite part of photography. It becomes not so much about taking photos for photos sake, but more of a record or documentation of all the amazing moments I get to share with people along the way.
For my fellow photo nerds, all of these were on my little Fuji x100v coupled with the two little 28mm and 50mm equivalent adapter lenses. It really is the perfect set up for quick and easy travel photography for what I love to shoot.
