VLOG: We regularly post short Marine Wildlife Videos an Photographs with a short explanation regarding the subject and the technique used to capture the image.
STOCK FOOTAGE: All the clips, shots and images that are produced by ourselves and published in our vlog can be purchased. For more info please send us an email with the reference number of the clip (in front of the posted title).
NOTE: All videos are made by Olivier Van den Broeck using Light & Motion video lights
and all photographs are by Greet Meulepas unless stated otherwise.
We advice to all persons that undertook our Marine Wildlife Videography Online Course to regularly consult these Vlog articles as they contain valuable information regarding filming techniques and filming hacks.
Subject: A beautiful coloured Hairy Yellow Hermite Crab (Aniculus maximus) chose the shell of a Horse Conch (Fasciolariidae) as her house.
Technique: To accentuate the hollowness of the cavern where the animal was venturing, a reverberating sound effect was placed over the accompanying music.
Subject: A mudflat at low tide exposes an orchestra of small East African Fiddler Crabs (Cranuca occidentalis). These little detritovores (animals that feed on detritus) play an important role in keeping wetlands, marches and mangrove ecosystems healthy. By sifting through the sediment in search for food and by digging their burrows they clean their habitat from detritus and aerate the substrate. They also form a big food source for marine birds such as egrets and herons.
Technique: It was quite a challenge to film these little crabs (they were a mere centimeter/ 0,4 inch) . I had to lie down on the mudflat, trying to make myself as still as possible peeking through my viewfinder. At the slightest movement of my arm, my head or the camera they disappeared with lightning-fast speed into their burrows (sometimes called “chimneys”) only to reemerge many minutes later. It took a whole morning of filming to get less than 2 minutes of good quality footage.
Subject: A Decorated Goby (Istigobius decoratus) takes a bite from the sand and sifts it in search of little worms, shrimps and copepods….. The Goby family is the biggest family within the marine fishes, and comprises many species still undescribed by science. These small bottom dwellers are often confused with Blennies due to their comparable size and similar look. The most recognisable difference is that Gobies have a two-part dorsal fin while most Blennies have a single, long, continuous one (except for Triplefins, a Blenny genera distinguished by three dorsal fins). Another identification aid is that Gobies lie in a straight line on the bottom whereas Blennies often curve their bodies.
Technique: The original footage is three times longer; I’ve cut out the boring parts where the goby lies immobile and turned the footage into a clip composed of parts where the fish actually ‘does something’. I order to get smooth transitions the cuts were made a frame before the action took place.