Scuba Diver Ocean Planet Issue 04/2016 | Page 118

AN UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 03 04 02 CALIFORNIA DOESN’T REQUIRE much preface: Its beauty has inspired artists for centuries. Stretching over 1,300 kilometres along the western coast of the USA, the so-called Golden State encompasses sunny surf towns, glitzy cities, fogencased bays, cliffs that drop into the sea, and towering redwood forests. Viewing the topside beauty of this destination, however, only provides a hint of its majesty. Just offshore lies one of the most incredible and varied seascapes in the world. SDTTL 116 DIVING IN CALIFORNIA California’s diving is as diverse as its landscapes, both in terms of conditions and photographic opportunity. Divers can view anemone-encrusted shipwrecks and oil platforms, hydrocoralcovered pinnacles, lush kelp forests, boisterous pinnipeds, intense shark action, swarms of jellyfish, and phenomenal macro subject matter – and all within a day’s drive from home. 02 A cluster of giant Metridium anemones grows on the deep structure of the Long Beach oil platforms Equipment & settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sea & Sea housing, 8–15mm lens at 15mm, dual Sea & Sea YS-250 strobes, f/11, 1/40s, ISO320 s, ISO320