J. Dan Wright started diving in 1995 so he could pursue his film and photography underwater. Eventually, Dan got more elaborate in his shooting as he became a rebreather and cave diver, shifting his underwater focus from wreck diving offshore of New Jersey to the Florida caves. Several generations of cameras (from the Nikon D200 to the Nikon D850) have been in service and he now uses a dozen DS160s, two DS125s, and even has six SS200s in his arsenal of lights. Dan believes in never ending progression forward, in lighting and lens choices, as well as cameras.
Jackson Blue Spring. Moni Rosenwald scooters near the "stoplight" at 2000ft. into the cave. Nikon D850 with Nikonos RS 13mm lens and fourteen DS160s and SS200s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Damian Chojnowski and Joanna Helon at the "Lips of "Ginnie Springs." This is a tighter restriction somewhat, and extremely high flow area, where the bubbles of air are trapped on the ceiling, causing a spectacular reflection, which looks like water. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Ginnie Springs. Marissa Waltman swims over the "Little Devil" spring head. Nikon D800 with Sigma 15mm lens, about a dozen DS160s and SS200s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Sally Ward Cave in Wakkula county, FL. This is the "Cube" room. Nikon D800 with Sigma 15mm lens. DS160s and SS200s light the scene by several divers. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Jackson Blue Spring. Moni Rosenwald swims into the entrance. Nikon D850 with15mm lens and dual DS160s strobes. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Ginnie Springs. James Toland foreground and Caroline Kent on scooter in the "Gallery" Nikon D800 with Sigma 15mm and a dozen DS160s and SS200s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Tilly Foster Iron Mine. Moni Rosenwald does a giant stride into the open pit. Nikon D850 with 24-70mm Nikkor zoom, a dozen DS160s and SS200s light the platform area. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Jackson Blue Spring. Moni Rosenwald scooters in the cavern area, special blur effect created in Photoshop. Nikon D850 with Sigma 15mm lens. Ten DS160s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Little River Spring. Diver Richard Black foreground and Sandy Koster in the background. Nikon D800 with Sigma 15mm lens, about a dozen DS160s and SS200s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
Jackson Blue Spring. Moni Rosenwald swims up to the first "T" - about 1000ft. into the cave. Nikon D850 with 16-35mm Nikkor and a dozen D160s and SS200s light the background. © 2022 J. Dan Wright
J. Dan Wright is a union professional filmmaker, working for 20+ years in New York City. He studied film and photography at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, earning a BA in Communications Arts & Design (film and still photography) in 1987. He has always worked in motion picture of still photography for a living since that time, and started his own business in 1990, Wright Creative Services. Upon moving to union film production in 1997, he has focused on that career, although still doing part time still photo work.
Additional Reading
Caverns and Cenotes Underwater Camera Settings
Why You Need Strobes Underwater
Customer Photos | Frank Stopa Light in the Dark
Common Questions About Strobe Firing, TTL, and Sync Speeds
