UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

THAT’S A MORAY

Our resident photo pro Mario Vitalini continues his series looking at specific photo-friendly critters, this time focusing on the humble moray eel

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIO VITALINI

Some of us might not be able to go diving at the moment, however we can use this ‘dry’ time that has been forced upon us to look at a great subject that can be sometimes overlooked. Plan what to do when we next encounter them, or even revisit old images and re-edit them with a different perspective.

THE CHALLENGE

Morays come in different sizes and colours. Species like the pretty coloured ribbon eel are constantly moving, others are easier to spot at night when they patrol the reef in search of an easy prey. But for the most part, the vast majority of morays stay in their holes or around the same area day after day, poking only their face out. This can make them simple to locate and shoot.

For spins, use a very slow shutter speed (around 1/10 of a second), pull your strobes back and use inward lighting. This will light only the face of the moray freezing the movement while the rest of the photo gets the spinning effect

A relatively stationary subject is a gift to us underwater snappers. Morays have a tendency to pull back into their holes if you get too close, especially when using a wide-angle lens. Getting close enough to fill the frame can be challenging.

The next problem to solve, is how to get a good separation between the background and the subject. This is essential because most of the time you find morays hiding in areas of the reef that are not very photogenic.

Finally, remember, a lot of morays are dark coloured. They suck in light, especially juvenile ribbon eels and older giant morays. You may have to be more creative with the lighting (snooting or cross lighting) to sculpt texture and shadows. Eye contact becomes even more important.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Giant morays are some of the most commonly encountered morays and probably the most photographed. They can grow up to over two metres and can look very grumpy. This just adds to their character. That’s the personality you are trying to convey in your image. When shooting them, try to get below the moray and if possible, try to get them against some blue background and not the reef (unless it is colourful). This will help strengthen the image. Occasionally you can find two or more morays together. Even better!

Old individuals have a very textured face, cross lighting or a black and white with strong contrast treatment in post-production can enhance this wizened characteristic.

If you are shooting with a wide-angle, try to include divers in your shot, this will give a sense of scale and add depth to your picture.

If the area of reef where you see the moray is not particularly interesting, try to fill the frame with the face and point your strobes toward yourself (inward lighting). This will minimise the amount of light that reaches the background. Using a snoot to channel the light into the subject’s face is another option. This way of lighting can be

trickier so be patient and take lots of pics, repositioning your strobes as you go to refine the effect.

Peppered morays are very cute and one of my favourite morays to photograph. They are a bit more mobile than their giant cousins, but I find them quite co-operative for the most part. I love the effect of back and top strobe lighting with their white, almost-translucent skins. Using a fast shutter speed will help you get a very dark or even black background, making the moray really pop.

Ribbon eels, as I mentioned early, move their head constantly, and nearly always have their body buried in the sand or rubble. These have to be one of the hardest morays to make work for you. Try to shoot from a safe distance and get very low on the ground to avoid getting the sand and rubble on your picture. Give yourself some time so the eel gets used to you. I have found that inward lighting or snoots work very well with these little guys. By using a wide aperture and a shallow depth of field, you can blur the background. This will help to hide the messy reef.

LOOK OUT FOR…

Often you will see cleaning wrasses getting to work inside the moray’s mouth or around their faces. This is always a very interesting behavioural opportunity.

WHY NOT TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

When you find a subject that does co-operate, I like to try different techniques. I have found that with giant morays, swirls can yield very fun pictures. For this, you should use a very slow shutter speed (around 1/10 of a second), pull your strobes back and use inward lighting. This will light only the face of the moray, freezing the movement while the rest of the photo gets the spinning effect.

WORD OF ADVICE

Morays are generally speaking gentle creatures. They do look mean and aggressive as they open and close their mouth, but that is only them breathing. There are however some species such as the masked moray that are very territorial and won’t hesitate to bite your hand if you get too close to their burrow. I experienced this behaviour first hand in the Maldives. Thankfully these guys are not big and even if they do land a bite, the effects are nothing more than a small cut.

Big or small, morays are very common creatures and will always be a great addition to your portfolio. Next time you are swimming along the ref and spot one of these guys, give it a chance. You could finish the dive with a cracking shot in the bag. n

BIOGRAPHY: MARIO VITALINI

For nearly 30 years, Mario has sailed the globe and dived the seas, working as a PADI instructor and dive guide. Today, he shares his passion for underwater photography. His students love his real-world expertise and patient approach. He has an extensive working knowledge of most underwater camera systems, having spent several years at the UK’s largest photo retailer. Mario’s images have won several awards and he has featured not once, but twice, among the top categories at the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year, including Most Promising British Underwater Photographer in 2015.