refocus-jrasmussenfb02-2-1761634176

Sailfish grabbing Sardine

Joergen Rasmussen

Singapore

refocus-07-jorgen-rasmussen-profile-camera-cropped-square-1761658916

I had the privilege to spent some time with this little Bornean Orangutan baby. Humans share 97% of their DNA and I can see so many similarities.
Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia

refocus-jz18124-1761632914

Nominee

Peekaboo

The monochromatic patterns and iconic shape makes vertical shots from the surface interesting. Two whale sharks swam right below me at different depth moving synchronously. The fading light made the deeper shark look like the shadow of the other adding to the mystique of this picture. Indonesia.

refocus-dsc8446-2-1761633346

Honorable Mention

Whale Shark Shadow

Sailfish (Istiophorus albicans) are the world’s fastest fish and swims as fast as chetahs run. Speed is important for sailfish but every part of this amazing creature has a function. When hunting, sailfish change color to dark brown with electric blue and purple pulsing patterns. Isla Mujeres, MEX

Silver

Female blanket octopuses carry a large, folded “blanket” beneath their mantle that can unfurl into vivid, flowing colors. This display may help them appear larger to deter predators. We’ve also seen them hover with the blanket open, possibly using it to lure prey in the open ocean. The Philippines

refocus-dsc8641-2-1761634733

Blanket Octopus in flight

We heard reports of two large squadrons of mobula rays north of our base. With calm seas, we set out and found thousands. The crystal clear water was alive with motion and the sun rays reflected on their wing-like fins as the glided past in large ball-like formations. Magdalena Bay, BSC, Mexico.