2nd Place Wide Angle
George Kao
“Marlin and Diver“
Kao Kuowei won a buy one get one free 10 dive package in Saba with Sea Saba!
The Story:
During our honeymoon in Baja California—which was essentially my well-crafted excuse for a dedicated photography expedition—we encountered this breathtaking striped marlin hunt. Both my wife and I share a deep passion for underwater photography, making this trip a dream come true for us as a couple.
This image captured a moment of pure synchronicity. While everyone was focused on the bait ball, a striped marlin surged forward as the clear protagonist. At that exact second, my wife was documenting the hunt from the opposite side, appearing in the background like a professional model. The composition reminds me of classic wide-angle reef photography, where the diver provides a sense of scale and connection to the vast blue. Capturing such a perfectly balanced scene amidst the chaos of a hunt was a rare stroke of luck and a beautiful memory of our shared adventure.
Location:
Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Equipment Used:
- Camera – Canon R5 mk2
- Housing – Nauticam
- Strobe/light – Ambient Light
- Lens – Canon 8-15 fisheye
Camera Settings:
- ISO 3200
- F/7.1
- Shutter speed 1/2000s
