3rd Place Compact Behavior
Nicole Helgason
“Coral Tip Forest“
The Story: I arrived a week earlier in the Solomon Islands on a mission to photograph healthy coral colonies. We set out for the day from Tavanipupu Island Resort to a place they can sand island. The island is just that, a mound of sand surrounded by coral. Much of the coral on one side of the island had already been killed by the shifting sands while the far side of the island was alive and vibrant with healthy coral colonies. As I was swimming through the shallows I spotted this plating Acropora tenuis coral which was easily 3 feet across. The top of the coral was incredibly flat as if the branch tips might touch the sky at low tide. I knew this would be a fantastic subject for the top-down coral shot I’ve always dreamed of. I snapped a few shots from different angles of the coral and then floated above waiting for the perfect light. All it took was one shot and I knew I had something special. This image has always been one of my all-time favorite photographs from the trip as the little tentacles on the side of the Acropora branches invite you to look deeper into the coral.
Location: Solomon Islands, Marau sound, Sand Island
Equipment Used: Canon G7X, Fantasea Housing, XAdventurer M6000 Lights
Camera Settings: F701, 1/400 sec, ISO 125
