Having traveled to all seven continents in search of his favorite underwater subject, opisthobranchs, his images are now on display at the University's Avery Point Campus from June 1st - July 15th, alongside the exquisite slug sculptures of Gar Waterman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Opisthobranchs, commonly called sea slugs, come in a wide range of fantastic colors, strange shapes and varied sizes, from barely visible to several feet long.  These creatures inhabit all oceans and seas, from warm tropical to frigid polar waters. Most sea slugs have evolved to lose their heavy, cumbersome shells. Therefore, to survive, they have developed unique defensive strategies to protect themselves, including the ability to incorporate and store toxins from the food they consume, into their tissues, and then release those poisons later to ward off potential predators. Many sea slugs are so well camouflaged they are practically invisible in their surroundings, while others are aposematic and brilliantly colored as to warn "don't bother me." Opisthobranch diets vary from species to species. Their food includes algae, bryozoa, sponges, small animals and even each other. Some can actually manufacture their own nutrients, using sunlight and zooanthellae, which they ingest and store in their bodies."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin took up underwater photography to share the wonders of the ocean with non-diving friends and now he shares his images with the world. Currently he utilizes a Nikon D300 camera, in a Sea & Sea housing, with dual strobes to take his unique shots. His preferred lens is 60mm, coupled with a 1.4x tele-convertor. Kevin Lee's outstanding images have been featured in numerous publications and he ranks among the world's foremost underwater macro photographers. Kevin is a director with the Orange County Underwater Photographic Society (OCUPS), in California, and his works can be viewed at diverkevin.com.

 

See more images from the exhibit here. Information about the exhibit can be found here.