Anemone textures

Kissing Buda II.

I found this Ornate Ghost Pipefish under a ledge in the dark. The lighting comes from a torch and hit the fish in a breathtaking way - despite the illumination of the food he was eating. ISO: 200; f/6.5; Exp. 1/60 sec

"He Can't See Us If We Don't Move" - market squid (Loligo opalescens) at the Monterey Breakwater. Nikon D300 in Aquatica, Nikkor 12-24mm, Sea & Sea YS90 strobes.

"Last Dance" - mating market squid (Loligo opalescens), right in front of the kids!, right before they die. Breakwater, Monterey, CA; Nikon D300 in Aquatica, Nikkor 12-24mm, Sea & Sea YS90 strobes.

Detail of a starfish found at Ixtapa, Mexico.
Shortlisted!

"Little Stretch" - a small (baby?) Octopus vulgaris, at the Monterey Breakwater, found after a long day with twelve Open Water students in bad vis.... Nikon D300 in Aquatica, Nikkor 12-24mm, Sea & Sea YS90 strobes.

This Giant Pacific Manta stops at a cleaning station to get cleaned by the bright orange Clarion Angelfish. You can see the parasites on the skin of the manta as well as the remora.

Something different.

Dancing away... A Dendronotus Iris swimming (fleeing) above the wreck of the Ruby-E. An amazing find.
Shortlisted!

Whale shark swimming circles around our boat one magical day.
Shortlisted!

Baitball action with silky sharks and yellowfin tuna.

This is where the whales roam. This image was taken off the coast of Maui.

Glowing on the reef. A spanish shawl nudibranch, common in california, can still make a brilliant image. Shot with a canon digital rebel and 60mm macro in an ikelite housing with dual DS51 strobes.

Better to go over than under.... Giant Sheep Crab hanging around inside a wreck...
Shortlisted!

Whale shark swimming circles around roca partida, mex.
Shortlisted!

This friendly black manta played behind the boat for hours. It allowed everyone to jump in and have a play. He stayed on the surface the entire time.

Puffer against the colorful Hawaiian reef.

"Family Outing" - lots of playful and inquisitive California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) among the Channel Islands. Nikon D300 in Aquatica, Nikkor 12-24mm, ambient light.

"Contemplating the Rock" - me and my buddy Bob drift by the massive wall in an unnamed area of Beqa, scanning for critters; Nikon D70s in Ikelite, Nikkor 12-24mm, ambient light.

This school of silky sharks stuck around roca partida for at least three weeks. They came from the blue again and again. The school seemed to be largest in the mornings.

These are false killer whales that frequent isla san benedicto. They can be very friendly and curious of divers. This day we ran into a huge aggregation of more than 200 individuals. Most were too busy to pay us any attention, but these two did.

This striped marlin and dolphin tag-teamed the bait until it was no more. They didn't attack it like you would expect. They moved slow and deliberate, as if the bait knew they didn't have a chance.

This diver and I watched numerous sailfish and even striped marlin feed on this tiny baitball. In our experience, there is more action on the smaller baitballs.

Hanging around.
Isla Socorro.
D3 15mm

A great find in the Channel Islands, a horn shark (Heterodontus francisci), one of the cutest of all sharks. Nikon D300 in Aquatica, Nikkor 12-24mm, Sea & Sea YS90 strobes.

A young white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) frolics in the sunlight, of the coast of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico. Nikon D70s in Ikelite, Nikkor 12-24mm, Sea & Sea YS90 strobe.
Shortlisted!