Photographer: Russ Rockwood, Mukilteo
Photo taken:
May 1, in waters around Port Hardy, B.C., near the north end of Vancouver Island.
Photographer's description: "Octopus on the hunt. Taken while scuba diving about 50 feet below the surface, with a Canon 7D Camera, Tokina 10-17mm lens, Ikelite housing and strobes."
Expert says: "Wow. The subject matter is absolutely stunning. The skill and equipment required makes this an uncommon image. It's rare to have wildlife move toward a human, and the octopus' positioning gives the sense that its next move is to grab the photographer. The strobes really show off textures, and the contrasting colors strengthen the image. Suggestion: While the tentacles on the left have great movement, ideally the right tentacles would be completely in the frame and help balance the image." — Kathryn Bachen, Seattle Times photo staff