Underwater world

A large Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fights the current in a river in California. He has reached the end of his life cycle and will soon die but he has completed his mission and reached the spawning grounds where he mated and passed on his genes to the next generation. So many salmon have spawned in the river that eggs are carried past in the current.

Northern pike (Esox lucius) between water lilies (Nymphaeaceae). During spring in the month of May, water lilies grow toward the surface an ideal place for pike to hide waiting for unsuspecting prey to suddenly strike.

By using the slow shutter technique, precisely aiming the snoot, and making a quick camera movement, I was able to achieve an environmental portrait that highlights the camouflage of this radial filefish (Acreichthys radiatus), without it getting lost in the background.

We were out on the water for 4 days. We'd see the beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) each day, but the clarity of the water was very poor, and they would be further away so they would appear to be out of focus. Finally, on the last day, we had this amazing pod of whales that were so curious of us! Some came so close that they would bump their nose on my camera dome!

A night dive with a magical 2-inch Salp (Tunicata Salpidae). This mysterious sea creature is so transparent as to be almost invisible. Filled and covered with other marine life, it is like a different ecosystem in miniature, floating in the night sea. Inside and outside it was filled with many animals such as crabs and shrimp and more, I was at a depth of about 10 meters on a seabed between 60 and 100 meters

At a certain time of spring, the Japanese stream toad (Bufo torrenticola) comes down from the mountains to the river in large numbers to breed. I was fortunate to have the slightest opportunity to observe this very interesting ecology. A fisheye lens was ideal for capturing the eggs laid over a large area, but great care had to be taken not to crush the eggs.

The night time encounter with a manta ray (Mobula alfredi) is an extraordinary and engaging experience. The glow of underwater lamps slowly unveils the majestic silhouette of the animal, gracefully dancing through the darkness while feeding on the zooplankton that surrounds it, further enhancing the wonder of its sight.