| |
|
Coral Reef Color
MAY 2005
|
Colorful World Below the Waves
Photograph by Tim Laman
For reasons known only to nature, color explodes across coral reefs, making them Earth's most vivid landscapes. Here in the shallows of a Fijian reef, brilliant soft corals wave in reds, pinks, and yellows as schools of fairy basslets flash orange and violet hues. The basslets' different colors aid in species identification, mate recognition, and even camouflage as individuals mass against the kaleidoscope of the reef. What humans see lighted by a photographer's bright strobe may look altogether different in natural light through the eyes of reef creatures. Scientists are now beginning to learn how wavelengths of light (and therefore color) change through water at different distances, and—more important—how fish see colors and what messages they might communicate.
|
|
 |
|
Photo Fast Facts
|
Camera: Nikon F100
Film Type: Fujichrome Velvia 100
Lens: Nikon 17-35mm
Speed and F-Stop: 1/125 @ f/5.6 or f/8
|
|
Weather Conditions: Sunny
Time of Day: Midday
Lighting Techniques: Balanced natural light and two strobe lights.
Special Equipment or Comments: To get a reef scene with all the soft corals pumped up and the fish out, you need to dive when the current is strong. So I was swimming hard to stay in place while I took this shot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
