meet you neighbours | Okinawa Nature Photography

Founded in 2009, Meet Your Neighbours is a worldwide photographic initiative created by Niall Benvie and Clay Bolt. The project is dedicated to reconnecting people with the wildlife on their own doorsteps and enriching their lives in the process. These creatures and plants are vital to people: they represent the first, and for some, the only contact with wild nature we have. Yet too often they are overlooked, undervalued.

There are seventy-five worldwide contributors to this powerful project. I am currently the Japan contributor to this project. All images are used for conservation awareness and educational purposes. Below are some of my favourite images.

Okinawan green tree frog

Percnon planissimum – crab

Cherry blossom -Mt Yaedake

Crabs with beach trash homes

Porcelain crab ( Petrolisthes hastatus ) -Okinawa

Ryukyu odd-tooth snake ( Dinodon semicarinatum )

Scopimera ryukyuensis – Ryukyu Islands

Fern – Ryukyu Islands

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Gray faced buzzard eagle

Princess habu -MYN technique

Charybdis japonica -Yagaji Island

American bullfrog – Izena Island

Chinese cowrie

Okinawan Habu- MYN field studio technique

Okinawan mud lobster

Sesarmops intermedius

Air breathing marine slug

Unidentified earthworm – MYN and under Blue light Kume Island

Hawkmoth – MYN

Geograpsus grayi

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Have a great day!

I have been using the Light & Motion Sola series underwater lights for over two years now. They are the most reliable lights I have ever used underwater. The Sola photo series 800 and 1200 offer a red light feature. This feature enables the user to photograph the marine life without disturbing them. Most marine animals do not see or react to the red light.

I decided to put the Sola red light to the test on some marine subjects. I first setup a small studio saltwater aquarium to place the specimens in.

Aquarium setup - Documenting the Marine Life of Okinawa

Aquarium setup – Meet Your Neighbours Project

I wanted to photograph some marine gastropods with their shell and body showing. I first tried using white light, but they immediately retreated back into their shell. As soon as I turned on the red light the marine snails crawled around as if it was nighttime. This red light feature allowed me to get the documentation photograph that I planned.

Cowrie shells are one of many beautiful marine animals found in Okinawa. Photographing the animals on white isolate the subject without any distractions.

Chinese cowrie ( Ovatipsa chinensis )

The animals are handled with care and then released back into the the environment without harm. The Images are used for conversation awareness and educational purposes.

Teres cowrie shell ( Blasicrura teres pellucens )

I usually use the Sola Red light underwater. This is my underwater rig with the Light & Motion Sola 600 mounted on top of my Ikelite underwater housing.

Underwater setup with sola 600

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 the Light & Motion Sola series. https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/sola

Learn more about the Meet Your Neighbours Project. https://meetyourneighbours.net/okinawa-neighbours/

Have a great day-

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: meet you neighbours

Meet Your Neighbours project – Okinawa, Japan

Using the Light & Motion Sola red light feature to document the marine life of Okinawa