Light & Motion Sola Photo 1200 – The Ultimate Focus Light For Night Divers

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Admin11

The Light & Motion Sola Photo 1200 is the most popular modeling light used for underwater macro photography. I have been using Sola lights for over seven years now. All Light & Motion lights are easy to use, lightweight, and reliable. My favorite feature of the Sola Photo 1200 is the red light option. This feature enables the user to photograph marine life without disturbing them. Some marine animals do not see red light.

Sola 1200 focus light

Best features of the L&M Sola Photo 1200

Factory sealed body ensures flood-free performance
Compatible with a ball mount, ys mount and loc-line
SOS mode – Emergency function
Adjustable light output -1200 lumens (white light max)
Red light feature

Nauticam housing – Nikon D500

Nudibranch and Sola 1200

The red light feature works outstanding underwater. Get creative with blending red and white light during your dives.

Sea cucumber Art

The red light feature works great for photographing nudibranch’s, sea turtles, and cephalopods during night-dives. These animals are less affected by the red light.

Nauticam and Sola 1200

Check out the eye of the cuttlefish. The pupil is wide open (dilated)

Photographed using the Sola 1200 (red)

With white light, the pupil is constricted. The cuttlefish looks irritated by the bright light.

Photographed using the Sola 1200 (white)

Below are a few photographs of my dive buddies using the red feature.

Motion sickness (In camera triple exposure)

Multiple exposure Ie Island

Scuba-diving with a spin

If you would like to test the Sola Photo 1200, please let me know. Friends and supporters – Save 20% off your first Light & Motion purchase https://prz.io/648x6bGC1

Learn more about this product and accessories offered at the Light & Motion Website.

Shawn Miller Underwater by Russell Gilbert

I want to thank Tokina, Light & Motion, Nightsea, and Black Fin Grouper for all their continuous support over the years.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

The Most Beautiful Bivalve In The World – Pedum spondyloideum

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Admin11

The Coral scallop (Pedum spondyloideum) is the most beautiful animal I have encountered underwater. The delicate bivalve lives within the hard coral its entire life.

Scientific name: Pedum spondyloideum
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Hard corals in shallow water
Diet: Filter feeders
Average Size: 35mm-55mm

What purpose do they serve in the ecosystem? Researchers believe these beautiful bivalves serve a beneficial function among hard corals.

Provide circulation for feeding coral
Defend the host by expelling water when threatened by corallivorous marine life

The hard coral provides the bivalve with support and protection. The shell is very thin and fragile. Below is a great example of a protected piece of coral with an army of coral scallops.

The crown of thorns starfish is the most devesting predator of the coral. If the coral (host) dies the bivalve will not survive.

The coral scallop is very thin and fragile. The living animal is much more beautiful than the protective shell it produces. These specimens were given to me by a fellow researcher.

I first started photographing these beauties in 2010, below are some of my favorite images taken throughout the Ryukyu Islands.

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Testing the Nauticam NA-D500 Underwater housing

Posted on May 4, 2019 by Admin11

It’s been a blast shooting with the Nikon D500 DSLR combined with the Nauticam Na-D500 housing. I am pleased with the superior quality and design of the entire system. My underwater rig is setup for shooting macro with two Sea & Sea YS-D2 strobes and a variety of Sola lights. I customized it slightly by mounting a Light & Motion Sola compact tray and loc-line arm kit to the bottom of the housing. This allows me to easily attach other Sola lights underwater based on my vision.

Nauticam NA-D500 shower

My favorite features of the Nauticam NA-500 Underwater housing

Internal camera lock-to prevent movement
Vacuum and leak detection system, Green is good!
Port lock system and audible housing lock latches
Super responsive optic flash system
Comfortable hand grips

I tested the Nikon D500 system with the Nikon AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED lens and the Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G lens. Both are responsive and quality pieces of glass. The great news is that they 40mm is compatible in the NAU-18701 port as well.

Below are my favorite fourteen photographs taken with the D500 underwater in the beautiful waters of Okinawa.

Bobtail Squid – D500|40mm

Hermit crab – D500|40mm

Reef squid D500|60mm

Nudibranch D500|40mm

Chromodoris hintuanensis D500|60mm

Paintpot cuttlefish D500|60mm

Dinahs Goby D500|60mm

Flatworm D500|60mm

Ryukyu Eyes D500|40mm

Pontoh’s Pygmy Seahorse D500|60mm

Fluorescence Nikon| 60mm

Bobtail squid D500|60mm

Eyes of Okinawa D500 | 60mm

If your planning on buying a Nauticam underwater housing online, I recommend Bluewater Photo, they are extremely knowledgable and have outstanding customer service.

I want to thank Black Fin Grouper, Light & Motion and Nightsea for all their continuous support over the years. Thank you!

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Deadliest Marine Fish of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Admin11

The reef stonefish is the most venomous fish found on Okinawa. The stonefish resembles an encrusted rock and sometimes has algae growing from its skin. The reef stonefish is an ambush predator and spends its day patiently waiting for a fish to pass by. The stonefish is not aggressive at all. It is extremely dangerous because it doesn’t show any flashy warning signs. The spines deliver an extremely painful sting with strong venom injected into the body.

Reef, rock, sponge or fish?

If you spend any time exploring the ocean, I encourage you to look at these images and get familiar with these deadly facial features.

The reef stonefish will also bury itself in the sand. Does that make it a sand stonefish?

The false stonefish is much smaller and is usually found in shallow water. Its a master of concealing itself from visual detection.

The false stonefish is more active than the reef stonefish. It generally gives predators a warning sign by displaying its brightly colored pectoral fins.

Most of the false stonefish and scorpionfish will fluoresce beautifully under blue light.

Ways to avoid injury

- Be respectful and avoid harassing, touching and feeding marine life

- Maintain good buoyancy control

Wear exposure protection- felt bottom booties

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

If you would like to use any of my photographs, please contact me directly.

Have a great day!

Patterns, textures and colors ! Underwater Macro Photography by Shawn Miller

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Admin11

Okinawa offers some of the best Scuba-Diving in the world. I really enjoy the Art of Underwater Macro Photography. Macro subjects can always be found, it just takes some imagination and good framing to create beautiful underwater abstracts. Pattern’s, textures and vibrant colors generally stand out in underwater photography.

Equipment used