2008: Nature in Black & White - Highly Commended
Fergus Kennedy (United Kingdom)
Little big mouth
'I hit the whale shark jackpot in the Gulf of Tadjourah, in Djibouti, when I found myself snorkelling among a filter-feeding frenzy of these giant fish. Below me, emerging from the depths, rose a small one, just three metres long. The bold shapes and textures were perfect in black-and-white. I waited to take the shot until the shark reached a point where its head was lit by the late-afternoon sunbeams.' The whale shark, which can grow up to 12 metres long, is the biggest shark in the world. But despite its size, it's completely harmless to humans, feeding on tiny animals instead. It glides slowly around with its huge mouth open, drawing water in over its gills and sieving out the shrimps, plankton and small fish.
Canon EOS 5D + Sigma 15mm f2.8 fisheye lens; 1/80 sec at f6.3; ISO 200; Ikelite housing.
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Adult awards Storm terns Guillaume Bily
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