Here the story of a "new" hobby, or skill, under construction - photography with a pinch of ecological -n-spatial meaning. In other words, LEARNING TO LOOK! It's about being aware of what surrounds me underwater — Why do these critters look, live and behave the way they do? The background idea is to improve my novice nature photography skills (mainly for species id; iNat: @dama) while infusing my curiosity about the ecological story behind the photos. It is quite common to find myself reaching out for id books, papers or web references while curating my photos. I see you!

BTW, I'm a "lazy" underwater photographer that is only willing to carry a compact camera and a torch. I do not like to feel bulky underwater. More so, I appreciate having my hands free to hold onto the rocks while exiting the water under rough Tasman Sea conditions. This may explain some of the lighting inconsistencies across my photos. Still, part of the plan is to improve, not necessarily the technology but, my skills in managing these lightweight "rustic" tools.

All Images © Copyright by Damaris Torres-Pulliza