A yellow pygmy goby floats inside its human-made home: a discarded bottle lying on the seabed. Wayne set up his camera a few centimetres from the bottle’s narrow opening, and focused on the goby’s arresting, bulging blue eyes. The movement of the fish blurred the rest of its features into a haze of yellow.
Usually found in breeding pairs, the tiny and colourful yellow pygmy goby often inhabits old worm holes or empty bottles or cans. In this temporary home, the female lays several batches of eggs, while the male takes on guard duty to defend its spawn from intruders. Plastic is an increasing feature of its marine environment.
Australia
Wayne was born in the small coastal city of Albany, western Australia. His schooling introduced him to diving and photography. After a long hiatus he found himself in the Philippines, where he rekindled his passion for the underwater world. With his partner he now runs the Anilao Photo Academy, which strives for creativity and excellence in underwater photography.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
