Shortlisted Finalist - British Photography Awards 2026
Water Life Category / People's Choice Award

On an Indian Ocean reef, Big Eyes - as they’re known - are relatively easy to find. During the day they lurk in dark recesses along reef walls, waiting for the sun to go down. Their large eyes are an adaptation to deeper, darker waters, allowing them to stealthily hunt at night. This scarlet individual was out and about in the middle of the day, swimming into a fast-flowing current. I wanted to harness all that motion, and create an image of life in the fast lane. Combining a long exposure with an accelerated panning technique, I captured the Big Eye a split second before being swept along myself in the fast flow of water on the move.

Camera Gear: EOS 800D, Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens, Sea & Sea RDX750D housing with a Compact Dome Port, twin INON s2000 strobes.

Camera Settings: ISO200, f/20, 1/15secs

Location: Vilamendhoo, South Ari Atoll, The Maldives

Photographer: Laura Storm