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8. HD, Scuba Diving in Anilao, Philippines with Plane…
1 year ago
This is a ScubaMagazine.net HD video we shot & produced in Anilao, Philippines as part of a review we did for the ScubaMagazine.net Photo, Video, Travel & Dive Discussion Community while diving at a resort called Planet Dive.
On this assignment I was met by a Philippines television station and their film crew who interviewed me, followed me around on 2 dives and used some of the footage in theses videos, all of which was aired on a nature show in the Philippines.
Although I find wild macro subjects at every Philippines dive destination I travel to, Anilao certainly lived up to its reputation amongst local photographers as the Philippines version of the Lembeh Straits, as this entire 20 minute HD video was shot over the course of 1 week, not cherry-picked footage shot over months or years.
There are some studies that show that cuttlefish instantly recognize prey to be eaten upon birth. When you see the footage of cuttlefish eggs in this series, you will know why they are already conditioned.
Speaking of wild subjects, I just returned from an HD video shoot on Panglao island in Bohol, Philippines where I got some interesting footage of two small decorator crabs, both of which had managed to pull off a square of dead seafan and moved about holding it over their bodies like an aquatic gladiator shield. I have never seen that behavior before and it is hilarious.
On this assignment I was met by a Philippines television station and their film crew who interviewed me, followed me around on 2 dives and used some of the footage in theses videos, all of which was aired on a nature show in the Philippines.
Although I find wild macro subjects at every Philippines dive destination I travel to, Anilao certainly lived up to its reputation amongst local photographers as the Philippines version of the Lembeh Straits, as this entire 20 minute HD video was shot over the course of 1 week, not cherry-picked footage shot over months or years.
There are some studies that show that cuttlefish instantly recognize prey to be eaten upon birth. When you see the footage of cuttlefish eggs in this series, you will know why they are already conditioned.
Speaking of wild subjects, I just returned from an HD video shoot on Panglao island in Bohol, Philippines where I got some interesting footage of two small decorator crabs, both of which had managed to pull off a square of dead seafan and moved about holding it over their bodies like an aquatic gladiator shield. I have never seen that behavior before and it is hilarious.
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The only reason why I do macro is because I can't even touch you and the rest on white balancing on wide angle, so I cover it up by specializing in macro! lol.
On this assignment I used a screw on Schneider +3.5 achromatic diopter. This diopter does not fit on an FX1 in a Phenom housing, I chucked up the aluminum ring holder and faced off the front, then reblackened it. There is only .003 clearance right now between the front of the diopter and the inside of the port.
I talked to the L&M and Gates guys at the DEMA show 2 weeks ago and both housings employ something in the way of a +3.5 or + 4 flip down single element diopter. I cannot get more than a +3 in the Phenom flip arm, and even that interferes with the red flip down filter which I prefer to drop down for wide angle, plus the Phenom arm retention system is not satisfactory as I get frequent sags on the arms, especially with the weight of a +3 glass diopter. The lighter plastic diopters have a higher convex ratio thus forcing you to lose a full diopter.
I would really like a full time 2nd cameraman with an HD rig set up for wide angle. That would keep me from having to buy a 2nd rig and having a guide cart it around underwater, lol.
Anilao is a well known macro hot spot in the Philippines by locals, but is almost totally off the radar of American and European dive travelers. Gordos our now independant dive guide had an amazing memory of the animals I said I was seeking footage of, and when he asked what I wanted to shoot next, I said "Coleman shrimp on fire urchin" and that is where we went and we saw about 6 of them total, two in pairs in the course of looking at about 20 fire urchins all at one particular Anilao dive site. Yet Maricaban and Sombrero islands for wide angle are just a short 20 minute bangka ride away.
Next for me is either Dumaguete, Bunaken or Lembeh Island.
I frequently dive at Anilao but haven't been able to get footage like this yet!
Dumaguete is well worth it, check out Apo Island. Water is crystal clear there compared to Anilao.
Thanks for the kind words.
I use a Sony HDR-FX1 3CCD HDVCam and a Phenom housing and unless doing wide angle, I always shoot with dual HID lights.
Good job,
Steve
I have done over 100 dives in Puerto Galera and I thought it was great...but Anilao had more diversity.
Dumaguete may be next for me, which is supposed to have better macro than P.G.
A solution would be to stay on Apo island itself, but if you are just visiting the Philippines for a limited time it will prob be better to stay on the mainland (at resorts like Atlantis or something) so you can get to shoot a lot of variety.
If you do decide to go and stay at Apo, then stay at Liberty Lodge. Accommodation on Apo is not great like Atlantis, but its certainly not bad either.
I am surprised Anilao is not more well known amongst muck divers, as it has the good visibility that is lacking in many much/macro sites, yet is easy to get to, really inexpensive, and you are pretty much guaranteed to be able to shoot bobtail/pygmy squid, pygmy seahorses and Commensal Coleman shrimp on fire urchins. (periclimenes colmani)