Hugging its flippers tight into its body, the Weddell seal closed its eyes and appeared to fall into a deep, contented sleep. Shooting from a boat, Ralph tightly framed the sleeping seal against the ice-covered background, using the white backdrop and soft light from the cloudy weather to mimic the effect of a studio portrait.
Weddell seals’ large bodies are covered in a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm above and below the icy waters of the Southern Ocean. Feeding primarily on large fish, they are capable of diving down over 600 metres and can stay under water for nearly an hour and a half at a time.
Germany
Ralf grew up in the countryside of southern Germany and has been photographing nature for 40 years. Nature photography provide an important balance to his job as an engineer. His work has focused on southern Germany, Iceland, north Norway and Kamchatka, Russia.
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