Subject: Looking into the Green Turtle’s eye (Chelonia mydas) … Near-sighted on land, the Green Turtle’s eyes are perfectly adapted to perform under water. Red and orange colours are not seen well (as these are the colours that disappear first with depth) but the range from yellow to purple are well perceived. Habitat loss, pollution, by-catch in commercial fisheries and poaching (of eggs and adults alike) are the biggest threats to the survival of these herbivorous marine reptiles.
Technique: When filming bigger animals such as turtles it is important to approach these animals cautiously. Any sudden or rushed movement will scare the animal and therefor resulting in an escaping subject. Fleeing critters won’t make nice footage anyway. Remember that under water everything will outswim you, yet another reason not to chase animals. Gain the animal’s trust first before starting to film it.
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