Wednesday 20 May 2009

Digital Oceans: Gallery of Underwater Photographs of Fiji by David Da Costa

Fiji is an archipelago comprised of 322 islands, of which more than 100 are inhabited. The Fijian islands lie 3,200 miles southwest of Hawaii and 2,000 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. While it sounds far away, it's only a nice hour direct flight from Los Angeles.

Aptly known as the “soft coral capital of the world” few would deny the beauty of Fiji’s underwater riches. Fijian reefs harbor an abundant diversity of underwater life. Central Fiji's barrier reefs in particular seems to offer optimal conditions for all types of life.

Fiji's dense coral 'bommies' lend themselves to wide angle photography, but capturing specatular seascapes often involves diving in rapid currents and finding a little hollow and hanging on or ducking behind the current. Francoise spent a good portion of one dive holding onto my ankles while braced beneath me as I waited for my shot higher up on a current swept coral head.

Still, the photographic rewards can be amazing, with many of the coral heads covered with inflated soft coral and exploding with orange and purple anthias 'volcanoes'. We are hoping to make a return trip in soon.
Click picture for close up view
photograph of coral taken in fiji
CORAL SCENIC
Hard & soft corals
photo of leaf scorpionfish taenianotus triacanthus taken in fiji
LEAF SCORPIONFISH
Taenianotus triacanthus
underwater image of clavelina puerto-secensis taken in fiji
BLUE BELL TUNICATES
Clavelina puerto-secensis
photo of soft coral dendronepthya taken in fiji
SOFT CORAL SCENIC
Dendronepthya
underwater photo of scorpionfish scorpaenopsis oxycerphalus taken in fiji
SCORPIONFISH
Scorpaenopsis oxycerphalus
underwater picture of corals and feather star taken in fiji
Digital Oceans: Gallery of Underwater Photographs of Fiji by David Da Costa

1 comment:

Underh2ocameras said...

Gorgeous coral photos. Sorry that close up view did not work for me - I will keep checking.