Honorable Mention Macro

Dr. Tom Shlesinger

"An Underwater Colorful Snowstorm"

The Story:

Corals are animals that engage in a fascinating reproductive process, creating new generations of baby corals. Typically, thousands of corals belonging to a specific species, spanning hundreds of kilometers of the reef, precisely synchronize their reproduction by releasing egg-and-sperm bundles into the open sea, an intriguing phenomenon known as "broadcast-spawning". These bundles, propelled by ocean currents, mingle in the water until they encounter a match—a moment when a sperm fertilizes an egg, creating new life. Yet capturing the spectacle of coral spawning is a challenging endeavor as it unfolds only once a year during a specific month, on a designated night, and at a particular hour, within a brief time window lasting just a few minutes. This image provides a close-up perspective of branching coral spawning, featuring pinkish egg-and-sperm bundles. Witnessing this magical phenomenon gives a unique aesthetic sensation as if you are looking at an underwater colorful snowstorm. This image is part of an ongoing scientific documentary project dedicated to exploring the nightlife and distinctive reproductive behaviors of corals and other inhabitants of the Red Sea coral reef. Over the past few years, I have spent more than 300 nights underwater, particularly during the major reproduction season of corals, engaging in snorkeling and freediving for hours each night. This effort is aimed at studying and documenting the nocturnal behavior of underwater life, as well as constructing a comprehensive calendar detailing the reproduction cycles of corals and other reef-associated creatures.

Location:

Eilat, northern Red Sea, Eilat's Coral Beach Nature Reserve.

Equipment Used:

• Sony a7RIII 
• Sony FE 90mm F2.8 macro G 
• Nauticam housing 
• two Retra Flash Pro.

Camera Settings:

• f/18
• 1/125
• 200 ISO