Living Under a Rock-Between Alaska Tides-UWOL Fun Shoot

[David Rice]

A minus 2-3 foot tide this week offered a unique opportunity to shoot this video. We have a saying in Alaska: "When the tide goes out the table is set". Yes, almost everything on the beach from kelp, algae, crabs, and most invertebrates are edible. The colors at low tide are stunning in any weather. Some of the critters can also look a little scary.

I have been told my talent is in composition. I hope my limited editing skills and makeshift ocean sounds does the job.

Shot with a Canon EOS 60D, 100-400mm and 60mm macro lens. I used a three inch extension tube on the 100-400mm lens which drastically changed the focal length. I learned by accident, that by using the extension tube, I could obtain incredible close-ups while standing on my feet and pointing the camera and lens at the ground a few feet away. Odd, but it works great as a macro lens.

I'll post another video I took today of a Bald Eagle & Young in a nest below in Underwater/Over Land as a bonus.

Enjoy:

Living Under a Rock-Between Alaska Tides on Vimeo

[Trond Saetre]

Hi David,
You are right about talent for composition. And I think it was edited well too.
Macro shots are always spectacular, and it's great to get so close to the subjects.
A little more variation between macro and wide shots would be good, but I enjoyed very much what you made.

Thanks for sharing! I look forward to your future films.
Stay with us!

[Les Wilson]

The Ole Duffer is back in business!! Wonderful.

[Geir Inge]

Two words: Great film :)

[Dale Guthormsen]

David,

Great images, I loved the reflective image at 2:40.

what a cool bunch of creatures!! I just never see that kind of lifeforms so for me it was awesome!!

Perhaps the waves were a tad loud at times, but I totally liked it!!!!

[Marj Atkins]

Hi David – and welcome to UWOL. It is so nice to have someone from Alaska with us this time round and if that stunning opening scene is anything to go by then you certainly live in a very beautiful neck of the woods.

This film shows an amazing assortment of different creatures, especially different coloured crabs to be sure. (Would have liked a clue as to what the different creatures are though.)

You have captured some really good close-ups of the first crab – just wondering if those transparent eggs belong to the crab or to something else? The sand-covered sea anemone was a fascinating find.

Please forgive me if I don’t eulogize about all those other slimy things in your rock pools even if they are colourful in both pigment and character – had my tummy turning with some of them! :)

Some beautiful compositions, although just check - there are one or two where your subject is positioned in the centre of the frame which is not ideal.

Look forward to seeing more of your films from Alaska.

[Bill Thesken]

David, you are getting some excellent detail and color from the 60D. Those are some pretty weird looking creatures and would like to see what they look like when the tide is high and they are under water.

[David Rice]

Thanks for the nice comments.

The transparent eggs were the eggs of the Pacific Herring. I don't know anyone in my area who dives and shoots HD video. I had a friend who moved out of town a few years ago who dived and shot underwater DV. Some of his video is pretty amazing.

Yes, the Canon 60D has great resolution, but it has it's limitations too. A terrible combination for moving targets.

Since I have limited mobility, I gave up my A-1 for the Canon 60D and longer lens, and now everything I shoot now is from a road or trail from a sturdy tripod. I envy people who can catch birds in flight. I was never able to do that. The Bald Eagles can fly/ dance in front of me all day, and all I get is garbage.

I'm collecting enough beach video to make a 40 min DVD about our seashore life. It will be educational, and will encourage students to explore the beaches, and challenge them to identify all the fauna and invertebrates. I plan to give it to the local school science teachers and science center/aquarium. A friend owns TV Stations in Sitka, Juneau, and Anchorage, and he will broadcast it.

I may even put it on Vimeo.

[Steve Siegel]

David,

Lovely to see tide pool life close up. What was that worm thing at 1:56? Shooting wet stuff is very difficult because the highlights burn out so easily. Does the 60D have a way to control that?

[David Rice]

I have no idea what most of those beach critters are. I have seen one of those Blood Red Worms three times. It's about 6-8 inches long. Usually find them in areas of mud flats.

I have completed a 40 minute DVD of every beach critter I have seen. I gave a copy to the local science center, and they were not able to identify many of the species. I may put the DVD on Vimeo.

I'm no expert, so I don't know much about highlight burning. All I know is that the 60D takes better close-ups and color video than my A1 or HV40 did. I have a 60mm macro lens that get's real close shots. I haven't tried it much because I can't bend down or get close enough to the ground to use it much anymore. Plus the depth of field is very narrow.

It quit raining, and there is a low tide this morning. Then again the trout and first salmon are arriving at the mouth of the small stream next to my house. I don't know if I should grab my camera or fly rod.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....

[Dale Guthormsen]

David,

I think I would take both!!!!

I landed a nice trount on an 18 hares ear this last week, nearest trout is 53 miles away!!

[David Rice]

Dale,

I took the camera and ventured up into the muskegs. I found a number of flowers, but most were very small, about the size of a U.S. dime. I did find the very rare Sundew. Alaska's only carnivorous plant. Shot some close-up video, which doesn't look too bad. Talking about carnivores, I was just thankful that I never had to use my bear spray.

Dave