Nature's Best: Oceans

• Johns Hopkins Inlet
  Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
  Jon Cornforth, Seattle, Wash.
  When naturalist John Muir traveled to Alaska one hundred years ago, the bays were covered in thick, glacial ice all the way to the sea. Today those glaciers are rapidly retreating due to climate change. As the ice melts, sea levels rise. Some estimates suggest sea levels worldwide may rise a foot or more during the 21st century.
  "I spent a week on my 22-foot boat in the remote west arm of Glacier Bay trying to shoot beached icebergs at low tide and was rewarded with this beautiful sunrise image."
  Pentax 67II; 55mm lens; Singh-Ray 3 stop hard graduated neutral density filter; 8 secs at /22; Fujichrome Velvia 50; tripod
  
  
  
  

  Jon Cornforth / Nature's Best Photography

• Iceberg in Storm
  South Georgia Island
  Robert Knight, Carmel, Calif.
  "We were heading back to our ship on a Zodiac after exploring South Georgia Island, when we noticed this iceberg out in the bay. I looked for special compositions and found this sculpted formation of cyan pinnacles and ridges. On the lower portion, it appeared as if a wave had been etched into the ice by the white water. It was a challenge to make the photograph, as the waves were continually crashing against the iceberg, sea spray was blowing across us, and the boat was swaying back and forth."
  Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II; 70-200mm lens at 70mm; 1/800 sec at /13; ISO unrecorded; hand-held
  
  
  
  

  Robert Knight / Nature's Best Photography

• Boulders on Beach
  Island Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland
  Verena and Georg Popp, Vienna, Austria
  Ten miles off the northeastern coast of Scotland is an archipelago of more than 70 islands called the Orkneys. One of only 20 inhabited islands, Hoy is distinguishable by its dramatic coastline, high sea cliffs, natural woodlands, and bird reserve.
  "We try to bring out the natural beauty in each composition we create. It seemed like each rock along this fabulous beach had its own color and character. The milky backwash of the wave provided the perfect background to show off the unique textures and shapes."
  Toyo Field 45 AII; 75mm lens; 1 sec at /22; Fujichrome Velvia 50; Manfrotto tripod and head
  
  
  
  

  Verena and Georg Popp / Nature's Best Photography

• Storm Surf
  Monterey Bay, Calif.
  Robert Knight, Carmel, Calif.
  The endless clash between the sea and land is as timeless as anything on Earth-surf pounding against shore, with soils, rock, and nutrients washing into the water. Worldwide, coastal tide zones teem with life, whether waters are tranquil or turbulent. More than half the world's population lives near the ocean and depends on fish as its primary source of food, placing coastal habitats at risk of depletion.
  "During a winter storm, waves crashed along the California coastline. A long exposure accentuated the motion and energy of the ocean."
  Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II; 70-200mm lens at 200mm; 1/4 sec at /14; ISO 200; Gitzo tripod with Arca-Swiss B1 Ballhead
  
  
  
  

  Robert Knight / Nature's Best Photography

• Turkish Freighter
  Mediterranean Coast, Israel
  Jeff Mitchum, Carlsbad, Calif.
  "As I hiked Israel's coastline, I saw something in the distance that looked like metal rising from the sand. As I approached, I was surprised to see a Turkish freighter from the late 1800s (I later learned) that had found this shore as its final mooring. For more than 100 years, it has rested on this coast, returning to the sea bit-by-rusty-bit.
  "What I loved about this moment was imagining the mystery cargos hidden in the hollow holds of this old traveler. There is a story here for everyone who lays eyes upon the ruins-a tale of a journey with a less than perfect ending."
  Fuji GX 617; 180mm lens with 3 stop neutral density filter and polarizing filter; 4 secs at /45; Fujichrome Velvia 100P; Gitzo tripod with Manfrotto head
  
  
  
  

  Jeff Mitchum / Nature's Best Photography

• Beluga Whales
  Cunningham River Inlet, Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada
  Norbert Rosing, Grafrath, Bavaria, Germany
  "Each year in July, hundreds of beluga whales congregate to mate and give birth in the mouth of the Cunningham River where warm, fresh water blends with the cold, salty arctic sea. During high tide they swim upstream with their backs barely covered by the shallow water, their stomachs rubbing the small rocks of the riverbed.
  "Flying in a Twin Otter aircraft with the door off, I was able to get a clear shot of this natural wonder. It is one of the highlights of my career as a professional photographer."
  Leica R6.2; 100mm lens with polarizing filter; 1/125 sec at /8; Fujichrome Provia 100; hand-held with Gyro Stabilizer KS-4
  
  
  
  

  Norbert Rosing / Nature's Best Photography

• Moon Jellyfish
  Boston Harbor, Boston, Mass.
  Wayne J. Dudley, Boston, Mass.
  Commonly found along the east coast of the United States, the moon jelly can reach 10 to 16 inches in diameter. The translucent jellyfish uses its threadlike tentacles to defend itself and to immobilize small plankton for food.
  "While out at sunrise to photograph a tall ship in the Boston Harbor, I stumbled onto the mating dance of the moon jellyfish. Within 40 minutes, the number of individuals went from 25 to 'countless' as the ritual intensified. The ship's reflection adds a sense of place to the composition."
  Canon EOS Rebel XTi; 30mm lens; 1/160 at /4; ISO unrecorded; hand-held
  
  
  
  

  Wayne J. Dudley / Nature's Best Photography

• Jellyfish
  Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
  Yeang Ch'ng, Boston, Mass.
  "I came across this jellyfish drifting at about 60 feet in depth while I was on a dive in the Raja Ampat archipelago. I turned away from a coral-encrusted wall that had been the subject of my attention and swam over to investigate. When I reached the jellyfish, it drifted up the water column, bell pulsating, its mane of tentacles spread around it like a cloud. Eventually it made its way up to the ocean surface, where the bright noonday sunlight filtered through the gentle waves. I positioned the sun directly behind the jellyfish and captured this picture with the sun and clouds visible through the water."
  Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II; 15mm fisheye lens; 1/250 sec at /14; ISO 100; Seacam Canon 1-series housing; Inon Z-220S strobes (2)
  
  
  
  

  Yeang Ch'ng / Nature's Best Photography

• Atlantic Sailfish and Sardines
  Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
  Douglas David Seifert, Jupiter, Fla.
  "Every winter sailfish gather in groups of a dozen or more off the coast of Mexico to hunt for sardines. Once they locate and drive the sardines to the surface, the action begins. The sailfish raise their dorsal fins and their bodies flash vibrant colors with the excitement. They herd tiny sardines into tight balls and rush in, slashing their bills to stun and devour unlucky individuals. The action is rapid and chaotic, making it extremely difficult to keep up while pushing a camera through agitated seas. The scene is like nothing I have ever witnessed while diving!"
  Canon 1Ds Mark II; 17-40mm zoom lens; 1/200 sec at /7.1; ISO 400; Seacam housing;
  Inon strobes (2).
  
  
  
  

  Douglas David Seifert / Nature's Best Photography

• Florida Manatee
  Three Sisters Spring, Crystal River, Fla.
  Todd Essick, North Palm Beach, Fla.
  The Florida manatee averages 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,000 pounds. These gentle, herbivorous mammals spend most of their day grazing for aquatic plants, resting, and slowly traveling through shallow waters.
  "Manatees like to winter in the warm, freshwater springs on Florida's west coast. This photograph shows four males chasing and trying to gain the favor of a female. I noticed the pursuit taking place and anticipated their route to best position myself for the 'flyover'. Though under constant threats from boats and land development, manatees can still be seen in their natural environment and are friendly, almost to a fault."
  Nikon D70; 16mm lens; 1/40 sec at /5; ISO 320; Aquatica A-70 housing with dome port
  
  
  
  

  Todd Essick / Nature's Best Photography