Competitions

Peter Rowlands · Issue 99, Nov/Dec 2017 · pp. 51–56

Products mentioned: Nikon D810, Nauticam housing, Nauticam SMC-1, Inon Z-240 strobes, Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Zillion housing, Pro-One optical dome port, Nikon D500, Nauticam D500 Housing, Nikon 105mm VR lens, YS-D1 strobes, Subsee +5 diopter

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 Underwater Winner The jellyfish jockey Anthony Berberian, France Late at night, in the open ocean, Anthony dives in water more than 2,000 metres deep. His aim is to photograph tiny deep sea creatures that migrate to the surface under the cover of darkness to feed. Coming across this pair one night, it took many shots to get the right composition – a rare glimpse of these creatures in their natural surroundings. This phyllosoma, a lobster larva, is just 1.2 centimetres across. With a flattened body and eyes on stalks, its spindly legs grip the empty bell of a small dead jellyfish, a mauve stinger. When alive, this jellyfish glows in the dark and has a nasty sting. The little hitchhiker probably ate the jellyfish’s tentacles and now gets a free ride in the ocean current. Technical specification Nikon D810; 60mm f2.8 lens; 1/250 sec at f22 (−0.3 e/v); …