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

Searching for the Ryukyu Sea Dragon by Shawn Miller

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Admin11

I have always been fascinated by the beauty of seahorses. I have seen five species of seahorses in the beautiful waters of Okinawa. They are scarce and difficult to find. They have the ability to change color to blend into their surrounding environment. They are often found resting with their prehensile tails wrapped on something sturdy.

The Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) Is the most beautiful seahorse. They live on red or orange gorgonians making them camouflage and difficult to find. They even have tubercles that resemble the polyps of the coral they live on. They are found in deep water (80-150feet).

The Pontoh’s Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus pontohi) was recently described in 2008. They live on calcareous algae and hydroids making them camouflage and difficult to find. They have fiber-like strands that resemble the algae they live on. They are found in shallow water (20-60feet).

Denise’s pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) Is another beautiful seahorse. They live on orange gorgonians making them camouflage and difficult to find. They even have tubercles that resemble the polyps of the coral they live on. They are found in deep water (100-150feet).

Another beautiful pygmy seahorse. Could it be a juvenile Hippocampus pontohi, or H colemani or H servensi.

The thorny seahorse (Hippocampus histrix) Is very rare in the waters of Okinawa. This is the only specimen I have found. It was washed up on a local beach during Typhoon trami. They live on gorgonians in deep water. Hopefully, someday I will photograph a live specimen

The Great seahorse (Hippocampus kelloggi) Is the most common seahorse found here. They live on sea-grass and algae in sandy areas. They are found in very shallow water (2-40feet).

The Ryukyu sea dragon (Kyonemichthys rumengani) is a species of pipefish native to Okinawa. It can be very difficult to find based on its size.

Seahorses are often taken from the sea, dried and sold for medicinal purposes. Their biggest threat is habitat loss and over-collecting. They hold a high-value for medicinal purposes and in the pet trade market. Populations have drastically decreased over the years, making them harder and harder to find. Let’s protect these beautiful seadragons.

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.

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

Have a great day!

Dinah’s Goby – living in glass homes by Shawn Miller

Posted on August 11, 2018 by Admin11

Brightly colored gobies are popular subjects for underwater macro photographers in the beautiful waters of Okinawa. The Dinah’s goby (Lubricogobius dinah) adapts by using man-made objects as a protective shelter. Discarded glass bottles and cans are prime real-estate for a variety of Marine life in the Ocean.

Scientific name: (Lubricogobius dinah)
Common Name: Dinah’s goby
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Sandy bottom, living in shells and bottles
Depth: 20-50meters
Diet: Plankton
Average Size: 25mm

You will need a designated macro lens to photograph this beautiful Goby. Approach slowly and avoid any sudden movement.

Goby glass bottle © Shawn Miller

When threatened, the Goby will retreat into the glass bottle.

The Dinah’s goby © Shawn Miller

I was fortunate to have the goby pose for a photograph.

The Dinah’s goby © Shawn Miller

I used the Light&Motion Sola Nightsea to light up the mouth of the bottle to create this beautiful image.

The shy goby in a more natural home.

Know your nature with Shawn Miller. Have a great day!

The Art of Underwater Motion by Shawn Miller

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Admin11

As an underwater photographer, there will be a time when you feel all your photographs look similar and you might lose interest for a while. Creating motion in still photographs will definitely give you a new challenge and purpose. The goal is to try to show some type of motion in a still photograph. The photographs emphasize the energy, power and or speed of the subject moving. Dramatic motion images will provide depth and variety to your portfolio.

Try panning or dragging the shutter underwater

Move the camera in sync with the moving subject while the shutter stays open. A slow shutter speed will be necessary to achieve this.
Once you understand this technique try adding flash at the end of the exposure to freeze the motion of the subject (Rear curtain sync).
Get creative and add a spin the camera