Honorable Mention Cold Water
Celia Kujala
“Dream Meeting“
Celia Kujala won a YS-D3 Strobe from Sea & Sea
The Story: I spent the fall diving at the Coronado Islands to photograph the California sea lion pups as they were growing up. One day I had an extremely special meeting. It is a day I will never forget. The water had moderate surge so I stayed in a more protected area where there were many sea lion pups playing. All of a sudden, a juvenile Northern elephant seal appeared in front of me and was glowing almost like an angel appearing from the heavens. It is rare to see Northern elephant seals underwater and even more rare to see more than a fleeting glance of them, but she was very curious. She played in the shallows and I could not believe my incredibly good fortune of having the opportunity to spend time in her presence. It was the ultimate dream meeting.
Location: Coronado Island, Mexico
Equipment Used: Nikon D500 Camera, Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye Lens, Nauticam NA-D500 Housing, Dual Sea & Sea YS-D3 Strobes
Camera Settings: 1/250, F11, ISO 400
