Weekend Shots, TF1, Oeuf Au Plat, Wide Angle Issues, and More…

TF1 Cameraman shooting the CIPA this weekend

Well, this is going to be my last post for a bit. I might pop on to link to the CIPA TV appearance if it gets online, but no photos for a few weeks since I will be “state-side” until mid-sept.

TV appearance you ask? There was a news crew that came out for one of the major French TV stations (TF1) on Saturday to film the CIPA (my diving club). I assume there were mostly there to catch Guillaume, but they were shooting the whole club, so I think I’ve got a good shot to make my French national TV debut in the near future. I have no idea when the piece is going to air, but I will post it when I get it.

Other than that, the weekend was a good mix of awesomeness and frustration. I had a great couple of outings this weekend, with lots of stuff to shoot, but I had some issues with my new replacement Fantasea BigEye G Series lens that made me miss a lot of shots. I chipped my old one (which I NEVER had a single issue with), and I had to pony up to get it replaced since I found it an incredible tool. To make a long story short, my new one came, and it seems to have either some errant moisture inside it, or some sort of subtle chemical stain on the inside of the glass that likes to ruin photos. It is not fogging that I am having a problem with. Moderate fogging I could probably deal with; it is a definite defect that really sucks. I have reached out to Fantasea technical support to get it resolved, and I will keep you all posted as to how it goes. [Update: I posted an email to support, and they responded within a few hours on a Sunday, which is a good sign. They asked for a receipt, and a photo of the defect, which I promptly supplied.]

“Méduse œuf au plat”, or egg jellyfish

Last but not least, after having seen my first “Méduse œuf au plat”, or egg jellyfish a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon at least seven that I counted earlier today. When it rains it pours I guess. As of a few weeks ago, I had never seen one, but now I’ve seen at least eight in the last few weeks. I wasn’t too pleased with my shots from last time, and while not perfect, I am quite a bit happier with the ones I got today.

Enjoy, and I’ll be back with more shots in late Sept.

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indahs says:

18/09/2010 at 21:59

wow! awesome photos..I have never seen jelly fish like this during diving. Is it in France? Congrats to your club TV appearance! It looks really cool!

billeo says:

19/09/2010 at 01:18

Yes it was in France, In the Mediterranean near Nice. I had never seen one before a couple of weeks ago. It is a pretty neat looking creature, isn’t it? The TV thing was pretty hilarious. A little disappointing, but whatever. Maybe next time I’ll actually be able to pick myself out. Thanks for the comments. Let me know if you have any issues with your Inon macro lenses. Picks would be nice if you post them to flickr or anything.

19/09/2010 at 07:01

Honestly I have never dare to dive in Europe although I live in the Netherlands – I always diving in tropical water. It’s just that I thought the waters in Europe could be pretty cold )! Perhaps I should give it a try a diving in France..how is the water temp in Nice during summer time? I will keep posted on INON lens – I have flickr account too, but have to wait for winter’s holiday when I escape to somewhere warmer

William says:

20/09/2010 at 00:49

Summertime the water gets to about 24º C in Nice. Right now, it is right around 21-22º C. I personally like the diving here, but just be warned… It is not exactly the same as diving in a tropical location. There are less fish, and it is less spectacular for sure. That being said, I love the Mediterranean and recommend diving here if you happen to be near. Have you considered Corsica? Or maybe Port-Cros? Those are some nice locations around here. Again, it’s no Bali, Thailand, or Red Sea, but it is pretty nice. Look me up on Flickr. I saw your website, and I was pretty amazed with your work.