The Story Behind "Zoanthid Wonders"
My name is Jamie. I have always been fascinated by the mysteries of the ocean. I had always dreamed of being a photographer, so capturing the underwater world on camera was a perfect fit.
I had limited expendable resources during the early years of my scuba diving life. It took every penny I could to save for my underwater camera and dive trips. I was patient and waited until I had enough for a trip. Sometimes waiting a year or more if I had to!
I loved not knowing what you might see underwater. It was always a surprise. As I descended on a dive, I'd take in the sights and watch schools of fish dart by in a blur, their scales shimmering in the sunlight. Hearing the bubbles from my regulator was calming and meditative. Seeing new sea creatures always kept me on my toes. Catching their image on camera to show friends and family excited me the most.
The visibility could have been better on this particular dive, and the swell kept me from getting many clear shots. I focused on the positioning of my lights and steadying my breath. However, there was no use in fighting the sea, so I went on with my dive, not expecting any useful photographs.
As my dive came to an end, I followed the contour of the sea floor as I ascended to the depth of my safety stop. I saw these beautiful red-orange anemones in the shallows out of the corner of my eye. They were only about two inches tall. Photographing them would be tricky. I gave way to the force of the tide and let the water push me forward and back toward the water's edge. I steadied my camera and prepared to snap a shot during the inswing of the next wave.
After several attempts at an in-focus photo, the final result was a beautiful picture of the cutest little sea anemones I'd ever seen. Fellow divers were also in awe of the ocean's beauty and congratulated me on completing my goal. I felt exhilarated that I had captured the beauty of the sea with my camera and couldn't wait to add the photo to my portfolio. More importantly, I couldn't wait for my next adventure!