{"id":8174,"date":"2019-01-01T05:08:03","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T21:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/?p=8174"},"modified":"2025-12-15T02:34:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T18:34:33","slug":"natural-history-photography-best-photos-of-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/natural-history-photography-best-photos-of-2018.html","title":{"rendered":"Natural History Photography – Best Photos of 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n

My Best Natural History Photographs of 2018<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2018 offered opportunities for me to spend a week in Maui<\/a> with my family, dive the chilly waters of God’s Pocket<\/a> in northern Vancouver Island, return to dive Fiji’s gorgeous reefs<\/a> on the wonderful Naia<\/a>, enjoy some college volleyball and fall colors on the Blue Ridge Parkway<\/a> in North Carolina, and dive and hike many of my favorite spots in and around my home state of California all year long, including Catalina<\/a>, Yosemite<\/a>, the Coronados<\/a>, San Clemente Island<\/a> and the Central Coast.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This is the twelfth\u00a0year in a row I have done an annual retrospective. My creative goal for any one year is, as it always has been, to shoot 3-4 world-class images and 10-15 portfolio-quality images. Below are my favorites from 2018. If you like these feel free to check out previous years’ favorites as well: 2017<\/a>, 2016<\/a>, 2015<\/a>, 2014<\/a>, 2013<\/a>, 2012<\/a>, 2011<\/a>, 2010<\/a>, 2009<\/a>, 2008<\/a>, 2007<\/a>. Also, be sure to check out Jim Goldstein’s blog<\/a>, where he collects the “best of the year” collections of many talented photographers. \u00a0Thanks Jim! Cheers and Thanks for looking!<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"Green<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Green sea turtle foraging for algae on coral reef, Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34507<\/a>
Species: Green Sea Turtle<\/a>, Chelonia mydas<\/i><\/a>
Location: Maui<\/a>, Hawaii<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Panorama<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Panorama of Full Moon and Earth Shadow over Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. The dark band on the horizon is the shadow of the earth, while the lighter pink band is atmosphere that is still lit by the setting sun.
Image ID: 34515<\/a>
Location: Maui<\/a>, Hawaii<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"California<\/a><\/p>\r\n

California sea lion, La Jolla
Image ID: 34272<\/a>
Species: California Sea Lion<\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
Location: La Jolla<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Giant<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Giant Plumose Anemones cover underwater reef, Browning Pass, northern Vancouver Island, Canada
Image ID: 34326<\/a>
Species: Giant Plumose Anemone<\/a>, Metridium farcimen<\/i><\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\r\n

The Fish Eating Anemone Urticina piscivora, a large colorful anemone found on the rocky underwater reefs of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Image ID: 34327<\/a>
Species: Fish-eating Anemone<\/a>, Urticina piscivora<\/i><\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\r\n

The Fish Eating Anemone Urticina piscivora, a large colorful anemone found on the rocky underwater reefs of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Image ID: 34331<\/a>
Species: Fish-eating Anemone<\/a>, Urticina piscivora<\/i><\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Fleshy<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Fleshy Sea Pen, Ptilosarcus gurneyi, Vancouver Island
Image ID: 34334<\/a>
Species: Fleshy Sea Pen<\/a>, Ptilosarcus gurneyi<\/i><\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"White<\/a><\/p>\r\n

White plumose anemones Metridium senile with purple sponge and barnacle, Vancouver Island
Image ID: 34341<\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Colorful<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Colorful anemones and soft corals, bryozoans and kelp cover the rocky reef in a kelp forest near Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Strait. Strong currents bring nutrients to the invertebrate life clinging to the rocks.
Image ID: 34429<\/a>
Species: Plumose Anemone<\/a>, Metridium senile<\/i><\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Seymour<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Seymour Narrows with strong tidal currents. Between Vancouver Island and Quadra Island, Seymour Narrows is about 750 meters wide and has currents reaching 15 knots. Aerial photo.
Image ID: 34466<\/a>
Location: British Columbia<\/a>, Canada<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Spanish<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Spanish shawl nudibranch
Image ID: 34196<\/a>
Species: Spanish Shawl<\/a>, Purple Aeolis<\/a>, Flabellinopsis iodinea<\/i><\/a>, Flabellina iodinea<\/i><\/a>
Location: San Diego<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Yosemite<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Yosemite Valley Tunnel View, Storm clouds at sunset, Yosemite National Park
Image ID: 34542<\/a>
Location: Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\r\n

A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Image ID: 34567<\/a>
Species: Blue whale<\/a>, Balaenoptera musculus<\/i><\/a>
Location: San Diego<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Kelp<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2′ in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California’s Southern Channel Islands
Image ID: 34606<\/a>
Species: Giant Kelp<\/a>, Macrocystis pyrifera<\/i><\/a>
Location: San Clemente Island<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Giant<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Giant black sea bass, endangered species, reaching up to 8′ in length and 500 lbs, amid giant kelp forest. Catalina Island, California, USA
Image ID: 34616<\/a>
Species: Giant black sea bass<\/a>, Stereolepis gigas<\/i><\/a>
Location: Catalina Island<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Aerial<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Aerial View of Namena Marine Reserve and Coral Reefs, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34686<\/a>
Location: Namena Marine Reserve<\/a>, Namena Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Plexauridae<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents
Image ID: 34707<\/a>
Species: Gorgonian<\/a>, Gorgonacea<\/i><\/a>
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage<\/a>, Bligh Waters<\/a>, Viti Levu Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Crinoid<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Crinoid (feather star) extends its tentacles into ocean currents, on pristine south pacific coral reef, Fiji
Image ID: 34710<\/a>
Species: Crinoid Feather Star<\/a>, Crinoidea<\/i><\/a>
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage<\/a>, Bligh Waters<\/a>, Viti Levu Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Spectacular<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Spectacular display of pristine cabbage coral, Turbinaria reniformis, in Nigali Pass on Gao Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34714<\/a>
Species: Cabbage Coral<\/a>, Turbinaria reniformis<\/i><\/a>
Location: Nigali Passage<\/a>, Gau Island<\/a>, Lomaiviti Archipelago<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Dendronephthya<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji
Image ID: 34715<\/a>
Species: Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>
Location: Namena Marine Reserve<\/a>, Namena Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Fiji Barberi Clownfish, Amphiprion barberi, hiding among anemone tentacles, Fiji
Image ID: 34788<\/a>
Species: Fiji Barberi Clownfish<\/a>, Amphiprion barberi<\/i><\/a>
Location: Namena Marine Reserve<\/a>, Namena Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Closeup<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Closeup view of colorful dendronephthya soft corals, reaching out into strong ocean currents to capture passing planktonic food, Fiji.
Image ID: 34713<\/a>
Species: Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>
Location: Bligh Waters<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Beautiful<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji
Image ID: 34716<\/a>
Species: Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Gorgonian<\/a>, Anthias<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>, Gorgonacea<\/i><\/a>, Pseudanthias<\/i><\/a>
Location: Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Brilliantlly<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Brilliantlly colorful coral reef, with swarms of anthias fishes and soft corals, Fiji
Image ID: 34727<\/a>
Species: Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Anthias<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>, Pseudanthias<\/i><\/a>
Location: Namena Marine Reserve<\/a>, Namena Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Blue<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Colors, Asheville, North Carolina
Image ID: 34636<\/a>
Location: Asheville<\/a>, North Carolina<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Blue<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Colors, Asheville, North Carolina
Image ID: 34639<\/a>
Location: Asheville<\/a>, North Carolina<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"California<\/a><\/p>\r\n

California sea lions underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 34575<\/a>
Species: California Sea Lion<\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado)<\/a>, Baja California<\/a>, Mexico<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"California<\/a><\/p>\r\n

California sea lions underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 34577<\/a>
Species: California Sea Lion<\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado)<\/a>, Baja California<\/a>, Mexico<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Oil<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Oil Rig Ellen and Elly with invertebrate life growing on it and fish swimming around
Image ID: 34654<\/a>
Location: Long Beach<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"Oil<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Oil Rig Ellen and Elly, Underwater Structure.
Image ID: 34662<\/a>
Location: Long Beach<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Best Natural History Photographs of 2018 2018 offered opportunities for me to spend a week in Maui with my family, dive the chilly waters of God’s Pocket in northern Vancouver Island, return to dive Fiji’s gorgeous reefs on the wonderful Naia, enjoy some college volleyball and fall colors on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[147],"tags":[211,374],"class_list":{"0":"post-8174","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-years-best-photography","8":"tag-best-photos-of-the-year","9":"tag-haleakala-national-park"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8174"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12347,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8174\/revisions\/12347"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}