My Portfolio
by Steve Jones
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I learned to dive at the age of 14, having first picked up a camera at the age of 8. But it wasn’t until 1992 that I got a chance to merge these 2 passions when I bought a second hand Nikonos 3 and a Sunpak 32 strobe, whilst working as a diving instructor in Port Safaga, Egypt. In 1994 I moved to the Maldives and also switched to a housed SLR. I was fortunate that my interest in photography enabled me to act as a guide for visiting photojournalists to the islands – I learned a lot from them. I even got to accompany Leni Riefenstahl, a pioneering and controversial photographer and filmmaker who was no less than 93 years old when I dived with her. Her mind was still razor-sharp. In 1996 my pictures were published by Germany’s Unterwasser magazine and the following year Dive International published my first images in the UK press. My association with the German mags has continued and I’m now a regular contributor to Tauchen magazine.
I’m thrilled to have won the open portfolio competition – there is no greater endorsement of your work than having a selection of images voted for by an audience, all of whom have a keen interest in photography and many of which continue to inspire me. I’d also like to say congrats to the runners up. There were some great entries in there, and the competition was very close indeed! My website is at www.millionfish.com
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Image 1: I took this in October at Ras Mohamed, just at the edge of Shark Reef. A worthy mention for Alex Mustard here, as I took this shot whilst working on my technique for improving blue water colour, based on the article he wrote for Underwater Photography Magazine “Getting the blues” issue number 31! Lens was a 10.5 fisheye on a Nikon D2X and it was lit with twin Subtronic Mega Colors. |
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Image 2: This anemonefish was taken in Nuweiba in the summer. Unfortunately most of the images I take of these fish end up deleted, as it’s very difficult to get a shot that everyone else hasn’t already taken. It’s on fast moving subjects like these that the auto focus systems on the latest generation of SLR’s really come into their own. I used a 105 Micro Nikkor and lit it with a single Subtronic Mega |
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Image 3: I took this shot on the site known as “the sinker” in Nuweiba. It’s actually a shipping buoy that was dropped in water that was too deep, so the buoy itself now lies in 12 metres. Over the years it has become encrusted in coral and is home to a school of sweeper. I love this place, it’s absolutely beautiful! |
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Image 4: another from Nuweiba. This shot of a Frogfish was taken on film (Velvia 100) using a Nikkor 14mm. The diver is Simon Appel, owner of “Scuba Divers La Sirene” dive centre. He’s a keen photographer, and makes the perfect host for us demanding types! I’d already taken the shot I wanted and was about to move on when the Frogfish opened it’s mouth. I managed to get 3 frames off, largely due to the ultra fast recycle time of the Subtronic Mega – when it fires at less than half power, you can almost shoot continuously |
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Image 5: another film shot, again with the Nikkor 14mm. This turtle was completely unafraid of me and I stayed with her for quite some time. I noticed she had only 3 flippers, and when I returned to the boat I found out why. The dive staff had found her caught up in a plastic bag at the surface a few years earlier. Her flipper was damaged and she was near death. So they took her back to the island and nursed her back to health. She was set free on the beach of the island (a 45 minute boat journey away), and yet when I saw her she was right on the reef above which she was originally found, in South Ari Atoll, Maldives |
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Image 6: This shot was taken at Ras Mohamed in June, using natural light, a 10.5 fisheye and the Magic Filter. The fish life there in June is incredible at this site, as many BSoUP members will know. I’ve used the Magic filter a lot over the last year, and I consider it a welcome addition to my kit bag – essential for getting colour into scenes that simply cannot be lit by strobe. I’ve just started using the green water version also. |
