Learn about the underwater photography featured in April of the Underwater Paparazzi 2020 calendar!
Moving down the Pacific coast, these next images are from beautiful Monterey, California!
Kelp forests are magical. There is just something so special about swaying in time with mesmerizing kelp leaves. And Monterey has some beautiful forests! This was taken at Breakwater. I could help but stop and watch those light rays dance through canopies of kelp. Kelp fun fact: Did you know kelp thrives in cold water and in the right temps, kelp can grown up to two feet in a day?!
Painted greenlings tend to be very skittish normally for me, but this one definitely liked to pose! And I loved the red pop of color behind it from a base of a large anemone. This is a macro shot taken with a 60mm lens, so it actually let me get quite close for a fish portrait. They like the protection of the anemone which can be deadly to other animals but keep the painted greenling safe!
Speaking of anemones… How gorgeous are these underwater flowers?! They are huge in Monterey and I love the spooky green backdrop of our nutrient dense waters! This species feeds on shrimp, other invertebrates, and small fishes it captures with its tentacles. They can have an 8-10 inch diameter and be up to 8 inches tall!
This jeweled top snail has such vibrant colors, its hard to not stop and photograph them! They love to climb the kelp and graze on algae with their file like tongues. They use their “lips” to cut up their prey. As for predators, jeweled top snails can secrete mucous on their shell which makes them slippery and deters predators!
The 2020 Underwater Paparazzi Calendar is now available! Proceeds go to a great cause! Buy your new calendar here !
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