In the strong current, with sea bamboo reaching up behind him, Joris struggled to keep the elements lined up. Eventually, a few seabream passed by completing the composition – their silvery forms singing out against the turquoise, nutrient-rich water. ‘I also liked the shape and colour of the split-fan kelp,’ says Joris.
False Bay is where two formidable currents meet, warm and cold swirling together creating a unique ecosystem. Once teeming with a diversity of fish, populations have collapsed after years of exploitation. Hottentot seabream are among the few fish that are still easy to find in this boulder-reef community.
The Netherlands
Joris specialises in stories about nature and people. Growing up with biologists as parents, he went on his first field expedition to Africa at the age of three. He later studied biology, but left his science career to become a full-time photographer and film-maker. His work has since spanned five continents. He is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
