This is the first of a series of pictures from the Indonesia. Keith Ellenbogen, a photographer and frequent contributor to the Global Explorers Blog, is sharing pictures from the expedition with Conservation International (CI) and the Ocean Health Index to create an awareness about environmental threats and solutions that impact the relationship between people and the sea. 

For the second part of the Ocean Health Index assignment I travelled to Raja Ampat, Indonesia, one of the worlds most beautiful places with extraordinary diversity of marine life. Traveling by boat within this remote part of the world, I was immediately captivated by the topography and geological structures such as that of the “bee hive” shaped Karst Islands. 


An over under view of a small islands called "Bee Hive" Karst Islands with healthy abundance of hard corals
 
The region is biodiverse and teaming with life. From a photographic point of view the colors, patterns and textures are inspiring. One of my favorite times to dive is when the morning light descends beneath the surface and the activity within the reef begins to awake. One of the schooling fish I enjoyed photographing was fusilers. They are both beautiful as well as an important part of what makes Raja Ampat so biodiverse.

School of fusilers swimming over soft coral with the suns rays descending into the sea 

These schooling fish feed on the abundance of plankton and nutrient rich waters caused by the convergence of the Pacific and Indian Ocean in this region. These fish are also important within the lifecycle of the reef as big fish eat little fish.


Epaulette shark (Hemiscyillum freycineti), that "walks"


A bouquet of tunicates, a tunicate covering a tunicate

But what makes Raja Ampat so special is that the diversity of life in this region is almost unimaginable. I was particularly captivated by the Epaulette shark that "walks" over the coral reef at night as well colorful tunicates that amazingly were growing on other tunicates. (Learn about the epaulette sharks in the Aquarium's touch tank here!)


Damselfish (Chromis athena) - First live picture of this species


On a personal note one of the most extraordinary parts of this trip was working with Mark Erdman, CI Senior Marine Scientist. On this expedition, we discovered new species of corals and fish as well as captured images of fish that are rarely or never been photographed before.  There is much we don’t know about the sea and so much to learn and be inspired by.




A close-up image of the coral polyps within a Gorgonian sea fan

To learn more about the first part of his trip to the Turtle Islands, click here. Head over to Conservation International's blog for more pictures and perspectives from Keith. 

Aquarium explorers traveled to Raja Ampat in 2011. Dive further into this beautiful part of the marine world through the expedition's blog posts.

Guest Post by Keith Ellenbogen, Parsons School of Design


Diver with wide angle lens

Diving into the clear blue waters of Fiji, I arrive in a biodiverse world spectacular in nature. Approaching the corals and fish, I focus my underwater lens on their elaborate colors, patterns, textures and behaviors. The images of these photographs allow the viewer to gain an awareness of the underwater world in an artistic and visually pleasing way.


A crab resting on a soft coral at night

However, the excitement of taking pictures begins onboard the boat during the dive briefing. This is the moment when the dive masters relay current information as to where some of the animals of photographic interest were last seen as well as a dive plan based on time of day, tide charts, and expected currents. Using the information provided, I select a lens, either wide angle or macro, depending on the underwater topography and the marine life I am expecting to encounter. With a careful pre-dive visual inspection of the o-rings, the camera is sealed within the housing and all functions retested, before transferring the housing from the Naia to Skiff-A.


Textures and patterns of hard corals

Once underwater, one of the primary challenges is to find the animals. It's a big ocean and most of these subjects are relatively small. While many of these animals are not rare they are often hard to find, well camouflaged, living in nooks and crannies or swimming at a distance just beyond a good photographic moment. However, with slow breathing, patience, and a bit of good luck, it is possible to wait for just the right moment that reveals a visually interesting body movement, eye contact or wiggle of the tail.


Soft coral crab hiding within the soft coral


Sabre squirrelfish in crevasse

On one of many dives within Fiji's protected Namena Marine Reserve, I decided to rearrange my lights and photograph one of the most common fish on the reef, the golden damselfish (photo below). Looking for a different perspective, this image showcases the de-tails of shape, form and composition. The individual scales and tissues that perhaps are often overlooked as this fish swims past us time and time again are emphasized. In contrast to abstract macro photography, the above example of a wide-angle photograph captures a moment peering into a small crevasse to discover a colorful Sabre Squirrelfish. The stunning vibrant yellow-orange fins and red-orange body is rotating in one direction while its eye curiously looks backward in the opposite direction towards the camera.


Tail of a golden damselfish

The abundance of undersea life in Fiji is amazing and on every dive there was always something new to see and photograph. Enjoy!

-Keith Ellenbogen, Parsons School of Design

P.S. All my photographs for this expedition were taken using Nikon D200, Sea&Sea Underwater Housing, and duel YS-250 Strobes.