UKDIVING
These non-native blue anemone shrimp live among the stinging tentacles of the many snakelocks anemones on the south coast of the UK . Towards the end of summer 2020 , they became prolific ( and large ) under Swanage pier , with most snakelocks anemones playing host to one of these photogenic critters . The way their blue tones contrast with the colouration of the anemone is what draws me into spending much time photographing and documenting this fascinating symbiotic relationship .
At low tide on springs , it is quite common to see snakelocks anemones under Swanage Pier and the surrounding area retract as the water recedes and they are exposed to the air . These moments before the tide fully draws out offer amazing opportunities for surface reflection photography , here on a sunny day with the emerald sea in the background . This is probably my favourite photo from 2020 , one of the best memories and one of the happiest photographic outcomes
We were blessed with another good window of visibility and we dropped everything to get back under the pier . On one of the crossbeams was this snakelocks anemone , swaying in the gentle surge . The mid-morning sunlight was partially blocked by the pier walkway , giving a strong , diagonal edge to the penetrating sunbeams
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