Deep Blue, a photo from Guanacaste, West

Photographer's Note

Anyone who disregards scuba diving as an adrenaline sport has obviously never turned round to see a four metre manta ray cruising silently up behind them. That's just what this beautiful creature did, before circling round me and my buddy group for over half an hour, once getting so close that his wing tip brushed my mask. He showed no signs of getting bored of us, and eventually we reluctantly had to head for the surface, leaving him alone in the Deep Blue.

rigoletto, teutza, teacozie, vikous, mdetay, ChrisJ, ku-fotak-chtik, lcarolan has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

agbonavita (0) 2007-10-19 9:25

Hi Phillip, you have here a wonderful photo. It really have adrenaline passing here, I think I will be very scary to see this giant fish so close.
The photo is great for a underwater photo. Nice photometry and colors.
Thanks for sahre
Andre

SchwebagMike (1490) 2007-10-19 9:52

Hi Phillip,
A really great manta shot! Great blue ... makes me wanna buy a UW housing myself ;-)
Greetings, Mike

teutza (10590) 2007-10-19 9:59

well he seems to be a friendly guy:)
great image ..it could have been perfect if u cought the hole body of the animal..but i enjoyed it like this too:)
teo

teacozie (1377) 2007-10-19 10:48

Yo Phillip!

What a lovely photo with a nice note. For sure this sort of experience will stay in your memory for a long time. Excellent composition which fills the frame but allows enough of the big blue to fill in behind the dark silhouette.

Really nice.

fryz (1735) 2007-10-19 11:05

Superbe gestion de la lumi鋨e plus cadrage
bravo Philip
a+
Vincent

vikous (2217) 2007-10-19 11:19

Hi Phillip!
Very very good photograph of this amazing ocean cruiser! Great tones and composition. I like it a lot!
Good luck,
viktor

mdetay (4929) 2007-10-19 19:40

Hi Philip,
Nice colors and superbe composition. Great manta ray.
Well done.
Cheers from Hong Kong
Michel

rigoletto (34279) 2007-10-20 0:29

Hi Phillip,
It is impossible not to get lost in the charm of this blue. I've never tried scuba diving, but i guess it is another Deep Blue world which can make you lost... The light is so beautiful. And the silhouetted creature as well. TFS,
Deniz

ChrisJ (171888) 2007-10-24 2:18

Hi Phillip

Just a pity you clipped the flipper on the left. Superb graphism & silhouettes of the ray. I also like the radial light pattern, in the water, although the highlight is a little oe. Tfs!

GerdVDC (0) 2007-10-27 7:34

Absolutely beautiful photo. You were very lucky to capture him like this. Love the lighting and how the mantra stands out as a black shape. Also thank you for the very well written note.

All the best,
Gerd

toto (0) 2007-11-09 12:55

Belle photo de cette raie superbe avec en plus cette lumi鋨e dans l' eau au dessus, une v廨itable vedette cette raie.Jolies couleurs et belle vue de ces rayons qui descendent vers elle.
Amiti廥 Thomas
Je reviens

donluicu (24741) 2007-11-16 7:36

Bravo Philip

superb capture, nice colors blue and black
i love it

loic

ku-fotak-chtik (1142) 2007-12-09 6:24

Wow, this is a superb picture. I would like to be there with you.

lcarolan (930) 2007-12-10 16:47

Phillip,
WOW!! Wonderful light, amazing framing, what a rush!!
Larry

Matthew-Watt (5934) 2007-12-24 13:43

Hello Phillip,

Firstly I'd like to thank you for your brave critique debating the massive point scoring of the image 'Art and Colour on the Naviglio'; the one with the canal and the red balloons. Even if it was written a while ago I see it still makes the front page today! It inspired me to write a similarly large and sided critique yesterday.

This is a magnificent photo of the massive oceanic 'kite'. Beautiful colours and details. I occasionally see them leaping from the water off the coast of Queensland. You are brave also for swimming with these giants; despite them being harmless I could not help but to feel daunted by their presence. The 'blue sun' shaft of light completes the serene beauty of the scene. Delightful. Seasons Greetings.

Matt

Luko (14000) 2008-02-01 15:33

Hey Phil, anyone who's seen this scene (i am one of the lucky persons) can testify this is one of the great experiences in life, like being hugged by a gorilla or smellt by a tiger -I suppose-.
Your photo is very good, the pitch black devilish sihouette of the ray against a very fine quality of blue water and a nivley glowing sun. very well executed.

Where is playa del coco exactly? is it related to Cocos islands? or can it be reached more easily? this might raise my interest if diving is consistently good.

pastadog (13111) 2008-04-02 3:57

Fantastic shot, Philip... kind of underwater Batman... but not just the ray, the background in those pretty blue tones and the strong light on the side greatly enhances the sight of this mysterious silhouette... congratulations, Daniel

s_k_ (36) 2009-02-28 15:34

WOW! What an incredible shot! I agree that it would have been nice to have more space on either side of the manta ray, but still, it makes for a great capture.

smash2707 (3320) 2013-01-14 14:23

Beautiful silhouette. Great timing. Beautiful composition. TFS