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A newt cruises through the water beneath the towering walls of Carrara Quarry
 

I live far from the sea, in a small town on the Apennine ridge dividing Italy from north to south. I don’t always have the opportunity to dive marine waters so, over time, my curiosity has led me to explore the freshwater streams and ponds that I can find closer to home. This is the story of one such freshwater dive site—and, more importantly, the human effort to conserve a unique ecosystem.

The famous Carrara marble quarry, located 3,000 feet above sea level in the Apuan Alps, was used in ancient times to supply sculptural material for the Roman Empire and, later, to artists like Michelangelo and Bernini. The quarry has now been closed for the better part of 20 years, and in that time, a section of the quarry became a reservoir for rainwater. A pond formed and a striking little amphibian moved in—the alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris). The resumption of marble extraction would have threatened the newts, so, in a happy development, the area was declared a nature reserve to protect the newts and their adopted home. 
 

The walls of the quarry reflect spectacularly in the calm waters of the rainwater pool
 

When I arrived at the entrance to the quarry, I took my 4x4 down to the bottom and unloaded my diving equipment. As soon as I reached the water, I was struck by its magnificence. The surface of the water was like glass and reflected the marbled walls perfectly. At first I thought I was looking into a deep abyss only to realize after a few seconds that it was, in fact, water!

Before submerging, I watched the surface closely. After a while, I noticed subtle movements and small silhouettes everywhere. I quickly suited up and slipped as quietly as I could into the beautiful pool. The newts enter the water in the spring, during the breeding season, when the outside temperature is already mild, though not exactly the same as the water temperature, which justifies the use of a drysuit.
 

A selfie I snagged while diving in the quarry pool: Cold water temperatures made a drysuit, while not a necessity, a far more comfortable solution than a wetsuit would have been
 

Entering the water, I saw a white bottom with small aquatic plants and a rather impressive number of newts. I stood still in the water for a few minutes to observe their behavior, noticing the nuances of the male’s bright coloration compared to the more subdued female. The males have to do the work of impressing females. Perhaps, in that way, newts are not so different to people!

Turning my attention to the surface, I saw several stationary newts and others quickly moving up the water column to breathe at the surface before just as quickly returning to the safety of the vegetated quarry bottom. I decided to go back up to capture them on the surface, and that’s when I realized the magnificence of the frame that the marble wall provided. I thought, This is the shot I want to take home!

After taking a few test shots, I realized how fast the newts were in the water, so I focused on those that remained motionless on the surface for a short while. Then, I faced the challenge of managing my camera equipment. With the perfectly still water surface, the light from my flashes was reflected, so I had to try different configurations to make the lights appear less intrusive. After many, many attempts, I checked the back of the camera and was ecstatic. I’d captured the image I’d had in mind when I planned this dive and could go home happy. What a joy it was to have this shot recognized by the judging panel of the DPG Masters Underwater Imaging Competition 2024 and awarded first place in the Wide Angle category.
 

The winning image, entitled “Donatello’s Larder”, captured with a Nikon D850 and a Nikon EF 8–15mm Fisheye in a Nauticam housing with a pair of SUPE D-Pro strobes (f/14, 1/200s, ISO 125)
 

To see more of Massimo’s award-winning work, please give him a follow on Instagram and visit his website, www.massimozannini.it.