Alex Mustard (UK) finds the perfect conditions to showcase the beauty of seaweed.
Confined to the UK coast during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex developed a love of seaweeds. This image, showing colourful fronds of bootlace seaweed reaching for the light, took planning and precise conditions. Finally, with a high tide, clear water, calm weather and sunshine, the conditions were perfect.
Bootlace seaweed is hollow, allowing gas to accumulate towards its tip and keep it afloat. Underwater kelp forests, formed from seaweed, play an important role as foundations for coastal habitats. They provide both food and shelter to hundreds of marine animals.
UK
Alex is an underwater photographer with a PhD in Marine Ecology. His work has been awarded in Wildlife Photographer of the Year for more than 15 years. His book Underwater Photography Masterclass is the world's most popular on the subject, and he runs workshops internationally and online. In 2018 he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to underwater photography.
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