2005: Underwater Worlds - Highly Commended Print
Michel Loup (France)
Pike pose
Lurking beneath water lilies in a shallow, crystal-clear creek, utterly motionless save for the ripples of its pectoral fins, this pike didn't seem at all bothered by the spectacle of a person swimming by. Michel was snorkelling in Lake Illay, in Jura, eastern France, looking for atmospheric underwater scenes to photograph, and wasn't expecting to find such a cooperative fish. Several times he had to swim to the bank to change the film, but every time he returned, the pike was in the same place, resting on the bottom (probably digesting a meal). This final shot was taken as the pike slowly rose up and opened its mouth, posing for a couple of seconds before gliding away into the water lilies.
Nikonos V with 15mm lens; 1/60 sec at f11; Fujichrome MS 100-1000.
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