National Geographic Nudibranchs

For anyone interested in nudibranchs, there are some great photos on National Geographic’s website. They were shot by David Doubilet and some of the photos will certainly be controversial. Rather than taking them in their natural habitat, he took down a portable background, photographed the nudibranchs, then put them back where he had found them. You can find out more on his video. The result is some striking photographs that show how colourful nudibranchs can be. There is also an interesting debate on the ethics of moving sea creatures to take a photo on Wetpixel’s forum. People are divided as to whether there is ever any excuse for touching or moving sea life. Some argue that there isn’t, no matter who it is taking the photos, whereas others feel that David Doubilet understands what he is doing and can do this without harming the creatures. An important point is that if people who are unfamiliar with the beauty of marine life see these pictures, it may give them a better understanding of the marine world, and perhaps an incentive to help protect it.