My Underwater Macro Photography - Pygmy Seahorses

Hippocampus Bargibanti (Cabilao, Philippines)

Underwater macro photography is one of the most popular disciplines of underwater photography. The fascination for the marine macro life is shared among people all over the world.

Macro images can give a completely new view on reef life. It makes visible surprising details of nature which otherwise remain hidden in overlooked areas in the oceans.

Hippocampus Denise (Cabilao, Philippines)

One species which every underwater photographer is searching for are pigmy seahorses.

The first species discovered in 1969 of pygmy seahorse was named hippocampus bargibanti. A number of approximately six more species has been discovered after year 2000.

Hippocampus Pontohi (Bangka, North-Sulawesi Indonesia)

The challenge in shooting pygmy seahorses is first to find them. They are extremely well camouflaged and perfectly adapted to their habitat.

While hippocampus bargibanti and hippocampus denise - they can be found in different color depending on the surrounding - lives in gorgonian sea fans, there are other species which are moving through the reef and hence much more difficult to spot.

Once they are found the second challenge is to find them through the viewfinder of the camera without damage to the coral reef.

Pygmy seahorses are well know to be found on dives in south east Asia. It is one of the most typical species for Coral Triangle.

Hippocampus Bargibanti (Lembeh Strait)

My newest shots of pygmy seahorses I got recently when diving on Cabilao Island on the Philippines (see on top of the page).

One of the shots where I am specially proud of is the one of the Hippocampus Pontohi shot on Bangka Island in North-Sulawesi, Indonesia (see above). If you look carefully you can even see a second exemplar in the background. This spot was amazing. At some point there were five Hippocampus Pontohi holding on the same coral branch. Unfortunately I was not able to capture that picture with my camera. As mentioned this species is very mobile and this exceptional situation of pygmys grouping in one spot was quicker over than I could setup my camera.