Reviewing the Aquapac

While getting ready for a vacation, I spent some time researching underwater housings for cameras. I knew I couldn't afford a housing for a DSLR, since they often run as much as $2,000. But I thought I might be able to afford a housing for a point and shoot, which run considerably less for smaller, less complex cameras. That's when I ran across the Aquapac waterproof bag. For only $39, it seemed worth a try.

The Aquabag is a simple design... a plastic bag with one open end that is closed by tightening two plastic cams. It has thicker plastic around the edges and thinner, transparent panels on the front and back for shooting and viewing the camera's LCD. The only problem was the extension of the camera's lens, which pushed the bag's thichness to it's limit. Sensing the resistance of the bag, the camera would pull the lens back in and give a lens error message. But by holding the plastic out with one hand while turning the camera on with the other, everything then worked fine. If your camera's lens extends more than an inch and a half, this bag probably won't work for you.

I dragged a Canon point and shoot camera in the Aquapac for several days, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and playing on the beach. Using the lanyard provided, I strapped the Aquapac to my wrist and dove dozens of times, as deep as ten or twelve feet, without a hint of a leak.

The image quality through the Aquapac was far better than expected. Despite bad water clarity, the bag worked well. In most cases, visibility in the ocean here was limited to two or three feet at best, a poor test. The bag did extremely well out of the water or right at the surface. I can't wait to try the bag in better water clarity or in a swimming pool. It's not a sexy solution, but it gets you and your camera off the beach and out in the action.

North Captiva Vacation

Finally, a week to just relax, read, soak up some sun, and occasionally take a few photos, if the weather will cooperate. North Captiva is not far from the Everglades, so the afternoon storms build an come across, making a nice repast from the heat, but making sunset photos a hit or miss prospect. But I have worked on my tan, my Frisbee skills, my snokeling, and my uncanny knack for lying in a beachchair, reading, and watching the ocean.

Here's a shot from the backyard of our house on the beach. A short path through the seagrapes, palms, and sea oats leads to the Gulf of Mexico. Hopefully, a few great photos will emerge from the week. Stay tuned.

More From Lake Michigan

I finally found a few minutes to sort through more of the photos from my Wisconsin trip in June. Despite the relentless overcast skies and rain, a few opportunities did emerge. I absolutely adored Sturgeon Bay. The red lighthouse on the breakwater was captivating, which probably explains the large number of frames I took of this iconic landmark.

There's something about lighthouses that I have always loved. A long time ago, I played in a band called Lighthouse. And if there's a lighthouse in driving range, I've got to see it--and photograph it. These landmarks have a mysticism and aura of a bygone age that may not have a modern equivelent. Let's face it, Loran or GPS can't quite do justice to the feeling sailors must have felt when an expected light emerged from darkness or fog. And I guess all of us are seeking a glimpse of our own light on the horizon.

Enough waxing philosophical. I've only got about two hundred more frames to go through. I hope you enjoy these shots.

Happy Fourth of July

It's a bit late, but Happy Fourth of July. At least I took this photo on July 4th. It was a fun afternoon spent with family in my old home town... Eastman, Georgia. This small town fireworks display takes place at the high school, same as it has for decades. I considered just leaving the Nikon at home and enjoying the show, but I had taken a couple of weeks off without a single photo and that just wouldn't do.

Fireworks are pretty easy to capture if you have a tripod, a locking shutter release cable, and even decent glass. This image was a seven second exposure at f7.1. I shot it at ISO 100 with a 24-70mm f2.8 lens. The only problem with this slow shutter speed is the blurring tends to make the burst look a little plastic. But it is a necessary evil to capture the action from ground to sky.

I tried several different compositions, including closeups. But my favorites all seemed to be images that captured the flight of the shell from the ground and the starburst at it's peak. Call it storytelling, I suppose.

It would be so wrong of me to not take advantage of my tiny platform here to offer up my thanks to the men and women serving my country at home and abroad. And to pause to remember those who sacrificed so much for my freedom. Happy Independence Day.