Dive Pacific 175 Dec2020 Jan 2021

Octopus in a salp. Photo: Crispin Middleton
Pelagic octopus (Amphitretis) Photo: Darren Stevens
staff undertake their environmental science.
Coincidentally, the winning photograph in
the People’s Choice section was also taken in
the Poor Knights.
Marine ecology technician Richie Hughes’
image was taken at Long Cave when the
sun was low in the sky sending beams of
light through the water into the cave which
was full of blue mao mao and two-spot
demoiselle.
“Framing an image like this requires the use
of natural ambient light and light added from
your camera’s flash guns. It’s the balance
between these two, along with perfect
composition, that may create the perfect
exposure,” he says.
Other winning shots included Lake Matheson,
Lake Mangamahoe and Mt Taranaki, and
koura resting on a fallen nikau palm frond.
The judges this year were Ross Giblin of Stuff
and Gerry le Roux from Science Lens.
32 Dive New Zealand | Dive Pacific