James Ferrara won a 7 night dive trip for two to Papua New Guinea with Walindi Plantation Resort!

After a long day offshore photographing striped marlin as they hunted bait balls in Magdalena Bay, we made our way to the sea lion colony on Isla Santa Margarita. In the shallow waters along the coast, the colony was alive with movement, and the juvenile sea lions, in particular, were endlessly curious and playful. They darted around us with effortless agility, weaving through the water as if inviting interaction. As one young sea lion descended toward me from the surface, I used a slow shutter with flash to embrace the fluidity of the moment, while
freezing its facial demeanor. The resulting image captures not just the subject, but the feeling— flowing motion, swirling water, and the expressive personality that makes these animals so captivating. Another member of the colony drifts quietly in the background, adding depth and a sense of community to the frame.