Category

Self Portrait

Charity Supported

The Wildlife Trusts

Location

Off Los Islotes, Baja Peninsula, Mexico

Gear

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EFS- 15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM lens, Nauticam housing, two Inon Z240 strobes

Description

It was nibbling my ear while making glottal “Squwaaak!” noises! California sea lion pups can be so mischievous once they have gained trust in you. They dart around, demonstrating extraordinary agility and grace, often chewing and pulling on dive gear - sometimes even hugging your gas tank and letting you take them for a ride. You often don’t even know they are there until there is a familiar tug on you fin or, as in this case, a naughty noise next to your head. I’d travelled to the sea lion colony on Los Islotes, a small island off northwest Mexico, to record the behaviours of the youngsters as they developed swimming skills and independence from their mothers. This pup was particularly interactive and after many attempts to photograph it as it whooshed around me, I realised the best course of action was to turn my camera around for a ‘selfie’. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EFS- 15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM lens, Nauticam housing, two Inon Z240 strobes. 1/250s, f/14, ISO 500

Photographer

Will Clark

Social Media

Instagram: @willclarkphotos

Facebook: facebook.com/willclarkphotos

Website: willclarkphotos.com

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