Lessons in frustration and patience

Sometimes in order to move forward you have to take a step back. This year i have added/borrowed a new variable to the underwater formula.......a flash. While photographers have been shooting flash underwater for ages many of those are scuba divers. Shooting in the depths brings its own challenges, shooting close to the surface can be a total nightmare at times. While i love to experiment in order to grow this one addition has really brought me out of my element and to be honest makes me a little uncomfortable. Shooting ambient light underwater is challenging enough, there's weird shadows you cant control, currents that toss you all over the place, wildlife that doesnt co-operate, holding your breath, diving down deep.......and the list goes on, its exhausting. Now add a flash and realize that on top of physical exhaustion youre now adding a lot more mental fatigue as well, a flash underwater brings a lot of challenges with it, water SUCKS up light, theres sand and tons of other particles in water that are not present in the air and shooting a strobe lights everything up like a christmas tree making crappy images, the rig is bulky, the flash sits on top of the camera with no way to move it making light look flat. So right now after a full day of shooting underwater i am a little discouraged, my images are nowhere near the quality that i am used to. So its a little frightening to feel like i might not get anything useful, but like i said sometimes you have to take a step backwards in order to move forwards and learn new things. So i am back to square one ad feeling like that 1st year that i started shooting underwater, but in time i learned and it got easier and the images got better. I am hoping that i am a quiker learner these days and can turn this all around before heading home. Today despite its frustrations was a blast, being around my wife makes things easier and more enjoyable. With that said, i didnt walk away completely empty handed today.............and theres always tomorrow. Enjoy and Aloha!