Hitchhikers on the Reef

Steve Norvich · Issue 6, Apr/May 2002 · pp. 30–31

Products mentioned: 60mm lens, 105mm lens, tele-extender

While the technical side of photography is necessary for good images, it is hardly sufficient, for without subjects to photograph, there will be no interesting images created. Searching for photographic subjects is aided by understanding relationships within the marine environment. This includes knowing the habitat of marine animals, knowing what they eat, and knowing about relationships that occur with other animals. One of these types of relationship is commensalism, wherein one partner lives in close association with another and benefits from the relationship while providing neither benefit nor harm to the partner, and another is mutualism wherein both partners benefit (as opposed to parasitism wherein one partner benefits while the other partner is eventually harmed). This article talks about one particular type of commensalism and mutualism, with several examples, wherein one partne…