Ocean Art 2022 - Honorable Mention Wide Angle
Honorable Mention Wide Angle
Josh Blank
"Say Cheese!"
The Story: I had travelled to the Great Barrier Reef to explore the northern sites of the area knowing that one spot in particular was renowned for spectacular encounters with bump head parrot fish. The best time to encounter the species congregating in such a fashion is on an early morning dive before the sun has risen when the fish are still congregating together to protect from overnight predators. Upon entering the water, it didn't take long to locate their many smiling faces as they floated above a coral bommie. At this point the ocean was still very dark with minimal light making a well exposed, sharp image challenging to say the least. After a few test shots and observing how the fish were behaving, I slowly began moving closer, while doing my best to slow my breathing and prevent my scuba bubbles from spooking the fish. To my surprise, the closer I approached, the tighter they packed together creating a bizarre composition reminiscent of a school class photo!
Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Equipment Used: Nikon D850 Camera, Nikon 8-15mm Lens, Ikelite Housing, Dual Ikelite DS160 Strobes
Camera Settings: ISO 250, F9, 1/125 sec
