I'm BAAAAAAAACK!!!

[lona]

[lona]

[lona]

In case you're still viewing my thread haha...and wondering why the resolution's so bad, it's cos I put it to the lowest quality and reduced the size of the pic.

The actual pics are much sharper, I have to mention...but I don't want to take up too much server space. Each pic is only about 20 odd kb.

These pictures were scanned from negatives...

[lona]

[lona]

Don't think you can see the commensal shrimp here...I really don't understand how come people can take such closeups...I'm guessing what people do is that they crop and blow up their prints from the negatives, that's how they make it so nice...see if you can spot this guy in this pic...

this guy shows up quite nice on my computer, actually...

[Terryz_]

Goby??? Nice one...

[Terryz_]

The Moorish Idol are so graceful...

[Anthony]

In case you're still viewing my thread haha...and wondering why the resolution's so bad, it's cos I put it to the lowest quality and reduced the size of the pic.

The actual pics are much sharper, I have to mention...but I don't want to take up too much server space. Each pic is only about 20 odd kb.

These pictures were scanned from negatives...

are u using photoshop to edit.

use the save as web option... 30-50% doesnt affect much.

[lona]

are u using photoshop to edit.

use the save as web option... 30-50% doesnt affect much.

actually, I used photoshop to only reduce the pixel size and the quality of the picture to minimum (0). I didn't do any colour corrections to the pics...

I'll probably upload the full quality pic to some online album later in the week lar...now getting damn sleepy liao..heehee...

[lona]

[lona]

From these on, pictures are taken by a digicam, the guide's one...didn't ask what it was...

[lona]

[lona]

[lona]

ok lar, more tomorrow night...time for me to sleep liao...

hope you like the pics so far...nothing professional, just wanted to share them with you, that's all...

[jd_n]

From these on, pictures are taken by a digicam, the guide's one...didn't ask what it was...

Lobster...yummy!! Sashimi after tat can use the head to cook mee hoon.

[Achilles Tang]

Nice! You'll improve as you go along!

My first dive photos were horrible! You're much better than I was!

[hammerhd]

Niceeeee Nv use marco lens

[nleong]

Good enuff for first timer. I just got back my slides from Dayang. Maiden dive for my Reefmaster.... out of 1.5 rolls. Only a few can make it. Will post it in the Dayang thread.

You might like to take note of your minimum focusing distance of the camera and the strobe recycle time. Looks like the strobe coverage is not enough for some shots.

I need moe practise haha....

[kelstorm]

hey lona,

Where are my pygmy seahorses??? nice pics.. damned, i'm tempted to go to Manado already...

[lona]

hey lona,

Where are my pygmy seahorses??? nice pics.. damned, i'm tempted to go to Manado already...

kelstorm, believe it or not...I didn't get a chance to go to Lembeh...apparently there was some problem with the local police and we could not organise an outing there....

so we tried to find the pygmy on their housereef and on Bunaken, but ALAS Never get to see!!!!

*SOB*

[lona]

Good enuff for first timer. I just got back my slides from Dayang. Maiden dive for my Reefmaster.... out of 1.5 rolls. Only a few can make it. Will post it in the Dayang thread.

You might like to take note of your minimum focusing distance of the camera and the strobe recycle time. Looks like the strobe coverage is not enough for some shots.

I need moe practise haha....

ya lor...it was my intent to get my gf to bring the light cannon down for me to supplement the strobe, but since she was getting used to her BC I figured forget it lar...I'll just make do with the strobe...

The thing is, the minimum focussing distance quite touch and go lor...I only have the framer from the macro lens to estimate, and from there can only play with the aperture.

For awhile I was trying to focus on composing the shot, but after awhile of waiting I figured, what the heck lar...I'm here to enjoy my dives so just take what I can, don't hold up my gf..

[lona]

Anyways, a short write up before I get back to work...*sigh*...yeah it's back to reality for me.

Manado was EXCELLENT.

I'll talk about the diving first:

We spent all our dive days at Bunaken, and at the resort's house reef. I talk about wall diving first.

The wall diving at Bunaken was nothing short of spectacular! The whole place was literally bursting with life! Everywhere I turned there were colours, shapes, sizes and types!

The top of the walls usually started between 8-12 meters and we stayed about 20+ meters and I couldn't see the bottom. Visability was about 15m, not the best, I've heard, but good enough for some pictures lar.

Some parts of the wall had a nice current going so we drifted along. When the current got fast, it was really exhilarating, seeing everything zoom by you! Much like an underwater roller coaster ride, just without the ups and downs.

We saw so SO SO MANY things! We had white tips sharks, turtles, tangs of all sorts (too many to mention) a lot of which you seldom see in the shops, angels, moorish idols (which were BLARDY FAT , in fact all the fish there were damn fat), schools of squirrelfish, families of anthias (I noticed only pink and lyretail anthias, I thought I saw purple queens though but I can't be too sure) from one and a half times the length of my index finger to the length of my fingernail. Suncorals all over the place, quite alot of seafans and sponges were seen too.

Oh and on one of the walls, while the guide and myself were peering into a cave, he turned around to call my gf and his eyes turned huge and he started 'MMMMM!!! MMMMMM!!! MMMMMM!!!' and I thought OMG shark/trigger. He grabs me turns me around and my gf and myself look at each other and I start looking out for the threat. Later I ask the guy what happen...he says...'Eagle Ray'. DAMN we missed that ray...ARGGGHHH!!!

Oh we saw a couple of napolean wrasses in the distance too...and some huge fish which looked edible but I don't really know what they are...so...haha...sorry about that lousy description...

On the boat on the way to Bunaken we saw DOLPHINS!!! Both on the way there and on the way back in the evening. They were generally quite playful, sometimes leaping out of the water and splashing back down! There was easily 50 dolphins that I'd estimate...maybe more...it was breathtaking...and some of the friendlier ones tried keeping up with the boat. I'm not sure what dolphins they were, but the guide mentioned spinner dolphins, but don't quote me on that..

We saw flying fish too, scuttling out of the water to glide along with the boat...it's the first time I've seen these and they were damn cute. It's amazing how far and fast they can glide just above the water surface...

Ok, more later...

[kelstorm]

kelstorm, believe it or not...I didn't get a chance to go to Lembeh...apparently there was some problem with the local police and we could not organise an outing there....

so we tried to find the pygmy on their housereef and on Bunaken, but ALAS Never get to see!!!!

*SOB*

WHAT???? go manado and no pics of pygmy SH.. damned.. my heart goes to u too on that.. i would be cursing if that is the case for me...

anyway, can i have a copy of all your pics?? hehehe..

[lona]

WHAT???? go manado and no pics of pygmy SH.. damned.. my heart goes to u too on that.. i would be cursing if that is the case for me...

anyway, can i have a copy of all your pics?? hehehe..

ya lor...what to do...just circumstances.

my consolation is that we saw dolphins

I could burn a copy of the cd and pass to you if you want..

PM me your contact lar..we figure out how to meet.

[lona]

Niceeeee Nv use marco lens

Thanks...actually most of the shots you see here are with macro lens...maybe not as powerful, but the tolerance not very good...cos a little off it becomes unfocussed liao.