A delicate, otherworldly marine creature floats against a completely black background, as if suspended in space. The animal is a transparent larval lobster, its body almost glass-clear so that many of its internal structures are faintly visible.
The lobster’s body is small and elongated, but it is surrounded by large, thin, circular plates or shields that look like translucent discs. These discs resemble tiny jellyfish bells and give the animal an alien, umbrella-like appearance. Extending from the body are many extremely long, spindly legs, each thin like threads of glass and dotted with tiny reflective points where the light catches.
At the front of the lobster, several jointed appendages are gripping a small, translucent shrimp. The shrimp hangs downward from the lobster’s grasp, its curved body limp as it is being eaten. The shrimp’s body is also see-through, with faint hints of pale blue and tiny orange spots near its head.
The lighting is bright and directional, highlighting the fragile, crystal-like anatomy of both animals while the surrounding water remains pitch black—typical of a blackwater dive where deep-sea creatures drift upward at night. The effect makes the lobster and its prey appear to glow softly in the darkness.
At the bottom of the image there is a small orange watermark that reads “© Gregory Rohlman 2023.”
Overall, the scene feels alien, delicate, and dramatic—a moment of predation captured among fragile, nearly invisible deep-ocean life.
A Larval #lobster dines on a shrimp on a #Blackwater dive in #Anilao
#ColorADay #BlueTue #AnimalArtTuesday
#EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited #Macro #Scuba #Oceanlife
