I love the intimacy that only a close-up, macro lens can provide. Tight portraits of small subjects reveal a delicate world that is often endearing and helps connect viewers in a way that is both unique and compelling. Over the years, I have experimented heavily with macro photography, revisiting natural effects like bubble bokeh and barrel distortions, creating motion blur, colorizing, and more. As a result, I was labeled "Unhinged," which was one of the greatest left-handed compliments I’ve ever received. Despite the challenges that style of shooting might bring, I still find the most significant test and challenge in capturing something exactly as we see it. 

A curious Blenny gives me the side eye. Nikon F, 105mm + Nauticam EMWL 160º

I’ve long been fascinated by what it must look like from the critter's point of view. A vast open world to explore, mate, feed, and basically survive. 

I also love the way a wide-angle lens can tell a story. A wide-angle lens can provide an inclusive overview of a reef, big animals, wrecks, or scenes that need zero explanation to communicate, drawing the viewer into the experience. Here, we see the texture of the habitat, shadows, and even natural light all playing essential roles in the image.

When we examine both shooting styles, we find a notable middle ground between them. Although many have attempted to bridge the gap between macro and wide-angle photography, the outcomes have often fallen short of capturing the true essence of both styles in a single frame.  

Frogfish and Diver, Nikon F, 105mm + Nauticam EMWL 160º

The “Close Focus Wide Angle” style combines two styles, and when executed correctly, it can offer a well-framed glimpse of our subject within an endless world.

When we approach CFWA from a broad perspective, we often miss the mark because of both our equipment and our mindset. We start by gearing up and going in with a wide-angle focus, then look for smaller subjects to frame up close. While this approach can sometimes work, it often leads to disappointing results. The main subject gets lost in the frame, and the wide-angle perspective suffers as well. The frustration mainly comes from the gear and port setup. Sure, most wide-angle lenses allow focusing right on the port, but maneuvering the port into a tight position is nearly impossible. This affects composition, lighting, and continuity. 

Nudibranch and diver, Nikon F105mm + Nauticam 160º

For years, the go-to setup for APSC shooters was the Tokina 10-17 with a 1.4x Teleconverter. When used behind a small port like the Zen Mini Dome, it was quite effective and enjoyable. However, shot selection remained very important, and getting the port close enough still posed a challenge.  

Lacy Rhinopias and diver Nikon F105 + EMWL 160º

Recently, the engineers at Nauticam developed an idea to address the gap between Close Focus and Wide Angle, combining the two in a seamless way that opens up new possibilities. For a photographer with thousands of hours of macro shooting, this is more than a breakthrough. It allows precise focus on macro details while maintaining a broad, open background or habitat—creating a unique perspective. Think CF - WA, starting with Close Focus, then adding Wide Angle, and the style begins to stand out

After a few dives with the new lens, I was excited to get back in the water quickly and try to find something else to test the lens on.

Peak of the action! Nikon F105mm + Nauticam EMWL 160º

How it works - The lens setup is a wet conversion lens, meaning it must be immersed in water to function properly. It is divided into three separate modules: the focus unit at the base, the relay portion which flips the image, and the objective lens itself. I prefer to use the relay lens and 40º viewfinder over a monitor, but removing the relay is also an option. Nauticam also introduced the "Reverse Viewfinder" which flips the image in the same way the relay lens does, except within the viewfinder. For me, this is by far the best option, adding back the organic feel of diving with a standard macro lens.

Larger than life- The CFWA angle of smaller critters creates a unique perspective Nikon F105+EMWL 160º

I'm shooting with a Nikon Z8 using the Nikon F-mount 105mm lens. The entire lens system measures about 12 inches (30 cm) in length and attaches via bayonet to my macro port. It can be a bit front-heavy.

However, floats can be used to offset weight and provide buoyancy. I’ve also wrapped a thick rubber band around the lens to prevent it from scraping the reef or corals. This is very close work, so careful attention and precautions for both the environment and gear are important.

Creative lighting adds yet another dimension to an already unique composition. Nikon F105mm + EMWL160º

Lighting and optics:

At first, it was hard to break the old way of thinking wide angle first, but once I shifted my focus to close-up macro, I started to see results.

What surprised me the most is the final push of nearness with the lens, which creates a perspective close to 3D. Like super macro, there is a point where the perspective shifts slightly at the closest working distance. The same effect is seen through the optics of the 160 lens, resulting in a point of view with deep compositions that shows what the subject might see. 

Nikon F105mm + EMWL100º

F105mm + EMWL 160º

Pushing the limits as far as possible, I haven't found any boundaries to what can be achieved in this space. Like in any form of photography, lighting and creative lighting remain constant challenges. The wide lens angle makes it easy to pick up backscatter, but because of the lens's

A world building POV of an Anenome fish aereating its eggs Nikon 105mm+EMWL-160º

length, there's also a natural level of forgiveness. In fact, using a single strobe is often more effective than dual strobes in mitigating backscatter.


                                    

Macro to the glsss gives a natural 1:1 reproduction of the same Nemo eggs as above. Nikon F105mm+EMWL 160º

Macro in the front, wide-angle in the back; the feel is similar to a +5 macro diopter with wide-angle capabilities. Creating a layered effect is the best way I can describe the thought process behind shooting true CF-WA. Stopping down too much cuts off ambient light, so boosted ISO and slower shutter speeds often come into play to keep a natural background.

Goby with backlit bottle and natural light Nikon F105mm + EMWL 160º

A candy cane sea cucumber and emperor shrimp Nikon F105mm + EMWL 100º

Overall, the EMWL system is easy to use and yields superb-quality images while offering unique compositional styles.

 

A Friday phone call from a friend had me packing my gear and heading to the oil rigs on Saturday morning. I could never pass on the chance to dive the rigs! 

Testing new gear is always fun, especially when it works. Today I had a chance to test the new cutout clamps from ultralight, The new 8K torch from Kraken Sports and the new Sea and Sea YS-D3 Mark 2 strobes.

The local oil platforms in Socal. Ellen, Elly and Eureka, regarded as "The Rigs" to local divers, are active, oil producing and processing facilities just a few miles offshore in the San Pedro escarpment. The Pillars, beams and crossmembers that supports these bohemoth megastructures have become an incredible habitat for fish, sea lions and other marine life. From the waterline the rigs are all business. Loud with banging and hissing, pipes banging, catwalks, burn off valves with flames, truly an un-natural and industrial site above water.

Map of the oil platforms in the Southern California area

All of the dives are performed live with the boat backing as close as possible allowing divers to jump in and swim into the underbelly of the beast. The industrial noises are joined by barking sea lions which you can hear once the boat is close enough.

Ellen and Elly are an oasis in a desert of open water

Swells rise and fall around the pilings creating vertical surge as well as horizontal, the constant movement around the pilings can make for a tough dive so be ready for a rodeo.

Rows of bit guides

Man and industry put the rigs here but nature is trying to claim them with growth of all different varieties. The platforms are somewhat antiquated and many are scheduled for removal but what then? The argument being that the benefit of leaving the structures in place far outweighs those of removing them. One look at these structures underwater and its easy to see that it might be better to leave them. 

Colorful cup corals

Underwater the hardscape of the rigs are alive and thriving with life. Often surgy, the current moves through the rigs carrying all kinds of organisms that sticks to the supports under the structure. The growth recruits more animals, creating a thriving secondary habitat for wildlife. Cup corals, muscles, scallops, giant sea stars and anemones, even colorful brittle stars, carpet everything. Like an oasis in the open ocean, these man made structures are vertical reefs pushing up from the deep providing shelter for rockfish and more.

Colorful Anemone's and brittle stars

A bright orange Damsel fish, caring for her eggs

I prefer to shoot wide angle on the rigs. Yes, there is plenty of macro to shoot here but the story is best told with wide angle photography. Im using my tried and trusted wide angle conversion lens to cover both bases, just in-case. 

 

It never fails, whenever i slap on a dome port and wide angle lens, all the macro critters come out to play. It took me a long time to figure out that i shouldn’t be looking down for macro subjects when i should be looking up and seeking the sun. From packing for a day trip or preparing for a long haul, the question of wether to shoot wide or macro has always been a challenging one for underwater photographers. Fortunately for SLR shooters that harsh reality of lens choice is beginning to fade. 

The possibility of shooting true 1:1 macro AND wide angle on the same dive is now a reality. The engineers at Kraken have developed a highly functional conversion lens that for me is a game changer. 

KRL-09S- Conversion lens flipped down | Nikon D850

When you see the mounted conversion lens on the camera above water it appears to be big and heavy. When flipped down the lens extends outwards but the dome portion of the lens itself is actually the size of a small zen port (100mm) and allows for tight working spaces. This particular lens has a buoyancy collar already built into it which makes the setup underwater totally neutral.

The extension also helps with lighting as i can use the barrel of the lens to block some of the light while using inward lighting.

Ive always gravitated to using the Tokina set up (10-17 + Zen port) for this style of shooting but have found that the Toki's fish eye distortion to be a bit annoying. The KRL-09S is rectilinear with zero barrel distortion.

A couple of basic field test’s:

Both of these tests are not scientific by any means but illustrate an example of how the lens works underwater. Both are shot from aprx. the same distance, shutter speeds and aperture.

60mm and 60 with conversion lens

standar and 2:1 magnification

Lionfish and sunball

 To capture strong WAM style images, subject matter is extremely important. I’ve found that mid sized or palm sized subjects give the strongest, front of the frame presence and dimension. Adding some kind of model or reference in the back of the frame add’s perspective, pushing the primary subject forward. Think of the frame in a dimensional manner, including multiple elements will help to ad layers and enhance the image. 

1:1 macro and model

Getting close to the subject is also very important which requires care and patience. Think of the animal first. If possible, I try to position my camera prior to looking through the viewfinder   just to make sure that i don’t hit the subject or stress them too much. Checking your images while shooting or “chimping”should also be done very carefully. Not just because you might kill the frogfish but you also have a chance a scratching your new lens. Look for vertical relief, kelp forests, crinoids, pier or jetty structure and of course if you can include the green or blue water, it will tell the story of where the image was shot.

The depth of field will be much greater due to the nature of the optics so using open ƒ-stops more frequently used for wide angle shooting are okay too which will help balance the available ambient light.

CFWA with a Rhinopias

Lighting and backscatter can also be a bit tricky, particularly in chunky water. Snooting also works although using a beam flash restrictor and/or diffuser give’s the image a more natural feel. Remember ƒ-stop for color in the foreground, ISO and shutter speed to control the light in the background. For strobes, i prefer to keep them at the 10 & 2 but if the composition weighs heavier to one side or the other, i might eliminate or decrease the strobe power on the side that doesn’t need strobe flash. In other words, theres no need to flash empty water, after all it will only create backscatter which equals, more work in post. 


True wide angle @ 20mm'ish

Color is an essential ingredient with any style of UW photography. In-fact thats what makes shooting underwater so special. However that color doesn’t come through in our images without strobe flash. The kaleidoscope of colors that we are able to experience while diving should be included whenever and wherever we can and as much as possible.

RGB+Negative space is a good rule of thumb for color and composition. All three of the primary color channels diminish as you get deeper, loosing the reds first. Shallow water means richer natural light. That being said, this also means you will need to use strong strobe flash to give those colors the vibrance to come through. Its counterintuitive thinking when shooting in shallow sunny environments as were are now competing with the sun. Bright colors will be pushed to the front and dull colors will be pulled to the back in any image. 

Valley of the crinoids

KWACL flip down lens-valley of crinoids exists in the deeper portion of our house reef. The colorful feather stars cover every centimeter of sand for as far as you can see underwater. The white tube anemone stood out like a beacon amidst the encroaching crinoids.

The Kraken conversion lens is proving to be valuable in many different scenarios including blackwater photography and video. The thread like streamers or the Pompano are what makes these subjects so beautiful and difficult to shoot with a standard 60mm. Flipping down the KWACL and capturing the subject in all of its glory was a breeze.

Pompano | Blackwater dive| Slow shutter and pan

This also translates well to video capture on blackwater diving (Please click on the link) Video Capture. Normally my go to lens is the 60mm for such dives however with the flip down option, i can use either angle of view. The wider angle makes framing a moving subject in open water incrementally easier than with the 60mm. 

 

Edgar and Jellyfish

  Overall, a conversion lens means more creative options underwater and less opportunities missed. As a diver with a camera, having options underwater are always a luxury and with the new Kraken Conversion lens  opportunities abound.  

Lens Link:

Conversion lens link

Recommended flip adapter:

Until then, stay optimistic and stay healthy!

Mike Bartick