Underwater Photography: Dive into the Waters of Israel

In this challenging time that the people of Israel are going through, there is nothing like clearing our heads – literally – with water. The world of underwater photography allows us to capture rare moments of breathtaking nature, whether it is animals, marine plants or special water formations. In the advanced technological age, underwater cameras are affordable, and you can even find cameras that can shoot at depths of up to 15 meters. So if equipment is no longer a problem, let's dive in for a mini-photography workshop, without going out into the field, and get to know Israel's water treasures up close.

Photography in Israel - Fresh and Salt Water:

The photographs presented here were taken from a wide variety of water sources throughout Israel: the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, salt ponds, deep winter puddles, the Valley of Springs, the Sachna, and reservoirs. It is important to note that the methods of photographing and the quality of photographs of underwater animals vary greatly from location to location. Proximity to the animals varies and is affected by a number of factors, including high human presence, proximity to noisy factories, and the presence of many predators, such as the river catfish, which is an apex predator.

Photography at the springs – arrive early and move quietly:

In many springs, the bottom is rocky near the source, but later it becomes muddy, which creates turbidity and makes photography difficult, except for macro photography. In fresh water, it is possible to photograph mollusks, fish, algae and other sea grass. Photography at these sites requires arriving early, before the arrival of the tourists, to avoid disturbances and heavy movement in the water, which drives the animals away to hiding places.

Tips for photography in shallow water:

In shallow water, it is best to photograph without fins, to minimize movement that scares away animals and also to prevent floating particles that cloud the water. Extremely slow movement will allow you to photograph schools of fish and even very large catfish.

Catfish in Israel – a freshwater superpredator:

There is no problem photographing catfish in Israel, and they are also very curious. If you remain still, they will approach the diver.
In Israel, catfish are not dangerous, but unlike Israel, in the rivers of Europe, South America, and the East, there are dangerous species of very large catfish (such as the "gunch" in Europe and the red-fin catfish in South America), which have been documented as attacking humans, and therefore extreme caution should be exercised.

Photographing underwater landscapes in rivers:

Be careful not to go under thickets, branches or trunks, due to the risk of entanglement. Branches that seem "innocent" can be very tough and trap the photographer underwater. Long selfie sticks can be used to reach any desired point without diving and risking entanglement.

The Dead Sea and Photography

Anyone who has photographed in the Dead Sea knows its oily waters that blur visibility. The beauty of the Dead Sea is its amazing salt formations and landscapes in which sinkholes blend in. It is important to take into account that bringing photographic equipment into the Dead Sea involves a high risk to the equipment, so it is recommended to soak the equipment immediately in fresh water after use. GoPro cameras have dedicated facilities that protect the camera and reduce the risk to the equipment and allow you to photograph the spectacular salt formations.

Winter puddles:

Winter puddle photography typically focuses on macro shots of small crustaceans, tadpoles, and other microscopic creatures. The risks include very cold water and quicksand. Despite the challenges, it is possible to photograph without entering the water with the right equipment.

Kinneret:

In the Sea of ​​Galilee, photography is recommended only in the early morning hours, before the lake winds or the westerly winds strengthen, which turbidize and color the water a greenish-brown hue due to the mud and tannin.

Mediterranean Sea: Octopuses and Trigons:

In this article, we will focus on photographs of octopuses and sea urchins. In subsequent articles, we will expand on other special photographs.

Common octopus:

The common octopus, which is increasingly seen on our shores after a long period in which only a few individuals were seen, makes an excellent photographic subject. It is a slow animal when not threatened, and it is easy to identify its whereabouts – it builds itself a shelter and surrounds it with rocks and shells. Monitoring abandoned burrows has revealed crushed fish skeletons and shells, which indicate its prey. In the photographs, you can see the octopus's changing colors and the texture of its skin, which indicate excitement, fear, and more. The octopus has a beak-like jaw, and its bite is strong and painful, but not dangerous.

Trigons:

Trigons are cartilaginous fish, and most of them have a dangerous, jagged spine. Very important: Do not scare the fish with sharp movements or get too close to it, as it may lash out with its tail and the injury from its spine may be severe. It is recommended to be content with photographing from a distance.

We will continue to bring you a wide variety of fascinating photo articles from the underwater world.
Tips: Entrance to the mill is free.
Entrance to the spring is free.
Have a nice weekend!