Getting artistic with the photography underwater is something I've found the be very challenging so far, so from time to time during the dives, if I saw something that I thought worked well as an artistic shot, I would give a little effort at trying to come back with something a bit different from the species identification record shot.

On this trip, the thought that ran through my mind most often when trying this is to capture the patterns of the reef. They're really all over the place - everywhere you look - and this series will be the results of my attempts.

Technical Data: Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 1/120th sec at f/16. Image Stabilization on. ISO 100. Ikelite Housing and Port with Ikelite 161 Strobe in TTL Mode. Raw conversion in Photoshop CS5.

The subject is a Magnificent Feather Duster (Sabellastarte magnifica) which is actually a type of worm (yes - related to common earthworms). It uses these feathery appendages called radioles as both gills and to trap food particles that are drifting by. When disturbed, the worm will pull its feathery crown back down inside a tube that it has constructed of sand and a glue type substance it secretes.

The photo is of the very center of the crown of feathery radioles - where the food pieces will be passed down towards the mouth.

Like I said - these kinds of patterns exist just about everywhere on the reef.

- Bill