"RAW" Diving Cormorants at Long Point Marineland, Palos Verdes Ca. 1.12.11 "Quick Vid"

[bigbassballin]

that's awesome man! good conditions too! I've yet to dive old marineland but would love to dive it sometime. you interested in showing me the site? i'm getting into photography and videography so far I've only filmed in laguna, vets park, and la jolla cove. I'm no veteran diver but I won't be a liability, I promise!

[Frankpro1]

@bigbassballin It was some of the best conditions in over a year. Every Sunday morning the DiveVets divers group meets at Marineland @ 8-8:30am "conditions permitting". Go to dive vets . c o m and introduce yourself. We are very casual group, always looking to take out new divers and show them a new spot. After the dive, they grill and drink for the early part of the day. Its a fun time. Join us sometime :)

[Frankpro1]

@bigbassballin There is also a wealth of harder to reach PV dive spots that are much worth the effort. Shoot me your email and we'll coordinated a dive sometime.

[iuhalt]

Great vid, Its on my list to catch one of these guys swiming underwater.

[Frankpro1]

@iuhalt I first noticed that the school of Blacksmiths hanging around the reef were getting flustered by something. Out of nowhere the pair of cormorants darted past me about waist level chasing them. I fired off some stills but my strobes were set to low power, so none of them turned out. I quickly switched over to video and was lucky enough that they dove back down twice more. They have been on my bucket-list of subjects for a while. I was really stoked to capture them on film.

[iuhalt]

@Frankpro1 that sucks that the stills didn't come out. I am still trying to get the hang of my strobes. Video at this point brings me alot more satisfaction than photography but its always a work in progress. 

[Frankpro1]

@iuhalt My best advice to anyone getting into underwater photography is to setup their system and shoot a bunch of shots around the home in various lighting. Once you get the hang of what power to set your strobes / desired aperture or shutter speed for a given shot, things become second nature. I am toying around with a compilation video of my better stills I've taken over the last couple years. It should be posted in the next couple weeks or so.

[iuhalt]

@Frankpro1 oooo can't wait! Yeah I am going to put up a video from my trip to maui that I just finished. The strobe thing is really a matter of lobster diving getting in the way of practice time. 

[SouthBaySmith]

That's really cool!

[pacificcoast101]

Wow! Nice, steady camera shot and... the best vis I've seen there in over a year. I need a day off work. :)

[Frankpro1]

@pacificcoast101 Thanks Phil :) The vis was really great at the point for the first thirty minutes and right before I started heading to the cove a wall of cloudy water moved in. Must have been a tidal change?