WHY IS BIOLUMINESCENCE SO HARD TO CAPTURE ON CAMERA?
Low Lighting Conditions:
Let’s face it, most consumer-grade cameras aren’t the best at capturing the small details of bioluminescence in the extreme darkness. Filming or photographing the bio requires a camera that is great at capturing images in the extremely dark scenarios. The best places to see bioluminescence in Florida also happen to be the ones with the least amount of artificial light. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a perfect example of this. Picture yourself in the middle of a 140,000 acre wildlife refuge with only a handful of man-made structures on it that have small light sources. You can imagine how dark it actually gets. It’s so dark that you can even see the Milky Way on clear nights.
Having the Right Camera/Lens:
Once you understand the battle of how dark the filming conditions are, you then need to find a camera that can handle these conditions. We often mention how great Sony cameras are at capturing images in low light. This is because of their sensor technology, ISO capabilities, dynamic range, image processing, auto focus, and lens quality. You may find other cameras that work well when capturing the bioluminescent but don’t expect an action-camera to capture the bio in all of its glory. This is ultimately the biggest part of capturing the bio. You want to also ensure that you have a lens with a low aperture so that you can capture as much light as possible into the camera.
Understanding the Settings:
Ok, so now you’ve got the right camera and right lens then what? Now is the fun part, figuring out the right settings. This is often the thing that you will have to trial-and-error the most while filming bioluminescence. You will have to likely push the camera settings to their max capabilities and try different settings to capture the most light. Crank that ISO up high, set the F Stop as low as it can go, and play around with different frame rates. Different cameras come with different settings, so we always recommend testing your settings on dry land in the lowest light possible close by to better understand your camera’s baseline for low light photography/videography.
Needed Action to Light the Bio:
Whew, you’ve gone through the effort of getting the right equipment and fully understanding your camera’s settings, now it’s time to film. This is likely the most difficult part of filming bioluminescence. Often times here in Florida the bioluminescence only occurs in more still water. This is great when filming from a boat or kayak, but also makes things difficult because in order for the bio to light up, there needs to be movement. So now you’re holding the camera in one hand trying to find the focus, nail the settings, capture the shot, all while your other hand is swirling the water around to ignite the bio – yea, it’s not easy. Filming from a boat is definitely easier than filming from a kayak, but you might want to get some nice up-close shots of the bio that might be tough to do if you’re not in a kayak. Sometimes you can find a shoreline that has bright bio and we fully recommend taking advantage of being able to film while not in a boat/kayak and being able to create motion with your feet or hands while standing on a shoreline. Oh, but yea, watch out for gators!
BEST BIOLUMINESCENT VIDEOGRAPHERS + PHOTOGRAPHERS
Patrick Coyne
Patrick is a videographer and photographer from Southern California…
Comb jellies are transparent jelly-like invertebrates that have eight rows of comb-like plates of iridescent bands. A comb jelly is actually not a jellyfish. They cannot sting you as they do not have any stinging tentacles. These comb jellies usually will be seen in sizes that vary from a grape to a grapefruit with most similar to the size of a golf ball. The comb plates are what propel the comb jelly through the water. Although they do not move fast they are often hard to spot since they are transparent. At night time if you’re lucky enough you can see comb jellies glowing as they are moving through the water. They produce photoproteins which is what allows comb jellies to glow.
Comb jellies are extremely delicate and should only be handled by professionals with extreme care. The best way to view a comb jelly is with a clear container by gently allowing the water containing the comb jelly to flow into the container. Once obtained, do not shake or disturb the container as this can damage or harm the comb jelly. Hold a light up to the clear container to get the best view of the comb jelly and its unique features.
Genes that code for the production of photoproteins provide comb jellies their ability to produce light. A photoprotein is a combination of the light-generating molecules luciferin and luciferase. When calcium is introduced, this molecule is catalyzed into producing light.
THE BEST PLACES TO FIND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN FLORIDA
Choosing the right location is a key factor when trying to find bright bioluminescence. You want to look for locations that typically have calmer waters, no artificial light pollution, mangroves, and warm water temperatures. These are the best places for bioluminescence viewing in Florida:
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (Haulover Canal + Beacon 42)
- Cape Canaveral
- Cocoa Beach
- Indian River Lagoon in Titusville (Mosquito Lagoon)
- Banana River in Merritt Island
- Fort De Soto County Park
- Shell Key Preserve
- Parrish Park in Titusville
- Safety Harbor near Tampa Bay
- Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
