2nd Place Portrait
Jeff Molder
“Mardi Gras Blenny“
Jeff Molder won a gift certificate from Bluewater Photo and Bluewater Travel.
The Story: This tiny larval Blenny (about 1.5 cm in length) was shot about five nautical miles offshore near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii while drifting at 45 feet over 6000 feet of blackwater at night. These tiny darting subjects are difficult to shoot and I would liken the challenge to skeet shooting fireflies at night…. except underwater. Upon being discovered, they flit about the water column erratically, pausing only momentarily to flare their pec fins in a vain attempt to appear bigger as they try to evade capture. This shot captures the Blenny in this fully flared instant, revealing it to be a beautifully costumed and masked Mardi Gras Blenny.
Location: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Equipment Used: Nikon D500 Camera, Nauticam NA-D500 Housing, Nikkor 60mm Macro Lens, Dual Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobes, Kraken 5000 Video Light, Sola 1200 Focus Light
Camera Settings: 1/160, F16, ISO 400
