3rd Place Blackwater
Giancarlo Mazarese
“Reality and Reflection”
The Story:
A female Argonaut and its near-perfect reflection face each other on the water’s surface. She is not alone: a crab larva (megalopa) shares her leafy raft. Together, they transform the scene into a natural theater where reality and illusion become indistinguishable. This encounter, observed during a shallow blackwater dive just at the surface of the water in Anilao, Philippines, documented a rare interaction between pelagic species in their natural environment.
Location:
Anilao, Philippines
Equipment Used:
- Camera – Sony A1
- Housing – Nauticam
- Strobe/light – 2x AOI UIS-P1 strobe
- Lens: Nikon AF-S 60mm f/2.8G ED Micro lens via Monster Adapter
Camera Settings:
- ISO 320
- F/16
- Shutter speed 1/250s




















