Stalking Headless Blobs: Invertebrate Photography

August-September 1999

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Bryan Nichols

This 1:1 shot of a common but tiny sea slug shows how stunning these critters can be.

Getting tired of the same old kayak photos? Does your view finder seem to be framing too many clichés? Feeling brave, bold and ready to try something different? Well sure, but what? Birds, otters, whales, seals, other kayakers... what do all these common photo subjects have in common? Backbones. Vertebrae. Spines. Yet our very own Northwest coastline has the world's best assortment of the world's strangest critters, the invertebrates. The sizes, shapes and colors of our spineless neighbors are unmatched. Perhaps it's time you pointed your camera at them. Yes, its dangerous. Sea stars are savage predators. Urchins have deadly spines. Nudibranchs will shock you with uninhibited sexual acts. These are challenging subjects, make no mistake. If you don't have the photographic cojones, well - I understand. So few of us really do. Go back to the hazards of properly centering your bow amid that placid scenery or convincing those happy paddlers not to blink when you trip the shutter. But if you're up for a real challenge, read on.

YOUR EQIUIPMENT-IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?

Yes, it does matter. You can start taking pictures with almost anything, but a decent 35mm SLR system will give you a lot more options than a disposable (even if it is coated in indestructible plastic). Here are a few bits of photo gear that will help you get better invert shots.

Intertidal colours are amazing, as this cluster of ochre stars on sea lettuce shows.

GET MACRO

You might have noticed most inverts are considerably smaller than us. That's good, because they'd likely eat us if they could. For photographers, small subjects mean macro.

Macro means enlarged, and there are several ways to do this. Many zoom lenses have macro ranges that allow you to focus closely on smaller subjects. Certain filters will act like magnifying lenses on the end of your camera, though the results are dubious.

For the dedicated and/or wealthy, some high end lenses are made specifically for macro and will typically say "1:2" or "1:1". The latter means the image on the slide or negative is life size. Think about the little details those shots will capture. Good macro shots show you think you've never noticed before .

GET FLASHED

Marine animals left high and dry by low tides are generally not fond of direct sunlight-it kills most of them. So you'll find the really interesting critters in nooks and crannies the sun doesn't reach.

A flash will help bring out the colors and details. Decent flashes are fairly inexpensive these days-for ease of use, make sure it is "TTL" compatible with your camera. That way it will adjust the exposure level for you.

GET UP

An alternative to flash shots is a tripod, which will allow you to take clear photos at slow shutter speeds. It's also great for increasing your depth of field

I should use a tripod more than I do - intertidal critters tend to stay still while the tide's out so they make good tripod subjects. Unfortunately, weedy, slippery shorelines make bad tripod bases. Still, buy a decent one and use it as much as you can.

GET WIDE

Newer, cheaper and better ultra wide angle lenses appear every year. From extreme fisheye to the "standard" 28mm, these lenses allow you to get right up next to a critter-but also show its surroundings.

Many new zoom lenses claim to start at a wide angle setting (e.g. 35-70) Get one at least as low as 28 and your creative horizons will expand.

This seashore shot from a kayak shows what a polarizing filter can do: by reducing the glare off the water, we catch glimpses of both words.

GET POLARIZED

Used correctly with any of the above equipment (though be especially careful with flashes), a polarizing filter will improve your colors and allow your camera to "see" into the water better by reducing surface glare. That makes it well worth the price for any water-based photography.

NOW YOUR TECHNIQUE - DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS?

Technique is what's really important after all. There are oodles of books and articles out there on basics like composition, lighting and so on. Read them, and then practice with your equipment-the only way to really learn. Experiment away, but keep notes.

Take that new system out for a test roll and then examine each picture (be it slide, print or digital). Write down why it isn't excellent. Keep a running list, keep practicing, and note the reasons your shots aren't perfect. You'll get more and more finicky as the pictures get better and better.

Once you've got the basics down, try these invert specific tips on technique:

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Us paddling apes are immense compared to most of the world's critters. Hunker down to their level, look for more intimate angles. A red urchin from our eye level up at two meters is boring. From beach level it is a towering, colorful ball of impressive spines.

ULTRA WIDE

So you've found something interesting and you're down low. Try using that new wide angle lens. Now your photos will show not just what it is, but where it is.

That makes for more interesting stuff people will look at that odd beast in its unusual background and wonder - why is it there? Is it feeding? Hiding? Cruising for boneless babes?

GET IN THE ZONE

Pick a tide zone, any tide zone. From way up high with the barnacles to deep down low with the tunicates, choosing a tide zone and spending some quality photographic time there will help you focus on the less obvious but more interesting denizens.

This wide angle shot captures a huge pile of sand dollars plus a paddler preparing for launch. A polarizing filter makes the sky a deep blue.

Check what the tide is doing at your local seashore and choose your target zone. Start by photographing the "indicator" species, the animals and algae that represent that particular zone. Then poke around a bit, get your lenses into the nooks and crannies. Extreme low tides are great - they will briefly uncover all sorts of rarely seen oddities.

PERHAPS PELAGICS?

On calm days you can put your paddling and photographic skills to work at the same time. This is some of the most challenging photography - pelagic, or free floating invertebrates, pulsating jellies, drifting hydroids, wriggling worms - tend to be beautiful but ephemeral. A polarizing filter and a close up lens will help you capture creatures that drift freely across the planet.

Maneuvering a paddle and a camera at the same time can be frustrating - perhaps this is a good opportunity to experience the front of a nice big stable double with a patient paddling partner at the helm behind you. Quick! Follow that moon jelly, darling-and don't spare the tendons.

MUG SHOTS

Photographs are a great way to learn your neighbors' names - mainly because you don't have to remember the gory details while frolicking on the beach. Whenever you see a critter you don't recognize, snap a couple pictures of it. You can look it up later (indoors, on a rainy day, with coffee).

When I discover something I don't recognize, I try to get at least three shots. Two are basic and clear ID shots (from different angles), and is usually more "scenic'

GET SUB-AQUA

For the ultimate invert photos, you might consider joining them below the surface. Us air breathers see most intertidal invertebrates while they are exposed and frozen - no wonder we mistake so many for plants. But once the tide sweeps back they come alive - picking fights, hunting for food, attempting to mate. Better action than the local nightclub.

Equipment for shooting things below the surface can range from a glass-bottomed bucket (less than ten bucks) to a Nikonos RS system (several thousand dollars, your soul and your right arm). Start with your polarizing filter at high noon (the best light penetration) and go from there.

If you're feeling adventurous, nothing beats getting into the water (thick skin or neoprene helps). Consider trying one of the inexpensive new underwater cameras-they are "point and shoot" and will make for some fascinating photos. Dive shops usually have a couple of types and may even rent them

THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Well that should get you started on invert photography. Sure, go on taking snapshots of the kayak beside you with those grinning vertebrates in it. But take some time out from all those banal backbones to hunt for some headless blobs. They might be difficult subjects but you'll learn a lot - and they won't close their eyes every damn time you take a picture.

Bryan Nichols is a marine biologist and Wavelength columnist. All shots were taken with a manual Minolta system and lenses from 17-200mm.