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Cephalopods are the ocean’s most famous magicians and are true masters of camouflage. Not only can octopuses change color faster than our brain can really keep up with, but they can also change shape and texture to match their environment. This is where octopuses and other cephalopods differ dramatically from many cryptic species—they have active camouflage. This common octopus tossed on some spikey textures and sunk itself down right into the sand (Sony a1, Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, Isotta housing, custom curved macro port, dual Kraken KR-S160 strobes, f/10, 1/100s, ISO 100)
 

We all go through evolutions in our photography journeys—periods where we latch onto a new style of image or become fascinated by a particular photographic genre or subject. Sometimes these phases become long-term passions; other times, they pass as quickly as they arrived. In recent years, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to natural history imagery, especially pictures that highlight camouflage. There’s something captivating about trying to capture the subtlety and cleverness of creatures that have evolved to blend so seamlessly into their environments.

Of course, these images don’t always work. Sometimes, the animal is so well camouflaged that it becomes virtually invisible—even to the viewer—and other times, it stands out too much and the magic of the camouflage is lost. It’s a delicate balance, and that unpredictability is part of what makes it so intriguing.

Camouflage remains one of my absolute favorite evolutionary adaptations, and the underwater world offers a staggering variety of masters of disguise. Trying to put a camouflaged creature into its natural context—while still creating an engaging composition—has become a fun and rewarding challenge. I understand that these images won’t appeal to everyone, especially when the subject is hard to see. I do feel, though, that they’re best appreciated when viewed large; a small, expertly camouflaged animal can completely disappear on a phone screen.

I don’t claim to be an expert in this type of photography, nor do I feel I’ve cracked the code for consistent success—but that’s a big part of the joy. It keeps me curious, motivated, and always looking a little closer.
 

Looking to all the world like another shard of broken shell, a “large” female dwarf frogfish rests sideways on the rubble, waiting for unsuspecting prey. This individual was a whopping three-quarters of an inch long. I have found that off-centering your subject, while by no means a secret to successful compositions, is even more important when showcasing camouflage. It forces the viewer to search a bit versus going straight to the dead center of the frame (Sony a1, Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, Isotta housing, custom curved macro port, dual Kraken KR-S160 strobes with reduction rings, f/10, 1/40s, ISO 100)
 

At first glance, this looks like an image of flotsam—just a brown weed on a sandy bottom. Look closely, though, and a small striated frogfish materializes, blending in perfectly, right out in the open against a small algae leaf. Striated frogfish almost always perch against something; it isn’t unusual to find them resting in the open. An example of a very visible animal, but remarkably well-hidden (Sony a1, Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, Isotta housing, custom curved macro port, dual Kraken KR-S160 strobes, f/4, 1/320s, ISO 64)
 

It is common knowledge that flounders are expert camouflagers. Even hogchokers, a semi-freshwater species, lies nearly invisible on the bottom of a spring. Species that are flat or hug the bottom are best shown from above. The other benefit of the top-down perspective is really showing off the camouflage of benthic critters (Sony a7S III, Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro, Isotta housing, dual Backscatter HF-1 strobes, f/9, 1/40s, ISO 500)
 

Scorpionfish—like this spotted scorpionfish—know just where to perch to wait for unsuspecting prey. Until strobe light brings out the fish’s true colors, this outcrop is all just brown algae. The scorpionfish still blends in remarkably well, and in this case, the wide-angle lens really allows you to see the scorpion in its context (Panasonic Lumix GH6, Olympus M.Zuiko 14–42mm f/3.5–5.6 EZ, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1, dual Sea&Sea YS-250 strobes, f/10, 1/100s, ISO 100)
 

While ambush predators use camouflage often for offense, creature like seahorses rely on camouflage to remain un-predated! Off-centering your subject is useful in many types of pictures, even more so when trying to emphasize crypsis or camouflage, as it makes the viewer work a bit more to discern the subject (Sony a9 III, Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter HF-1 strobes, f/10, 1/100s, ISO 100)
 

I have long struggled to properly photograph searobins. They have an awkward shape and hug the bottom. Eye level perspectives rarely do them justice. Leopard searobins often partially bury themselves in the substrate, making them even more difficult to shoot. Going for a top-down perspective not only shows off the strange little finger-like fins, but shows off how brilliantly they match their surroundings. We are told when we begin shooting underwater to “get low and shoot up”—worthwhile advice but not applicable to every situation! (Sony a7S III, Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro, Isotta housing, dual Retra Flash strobes, f/10, 1/125s, ISO 100)
 

It isn't only saltwater creatures that feature fantastic camouflage. North America's largest amphibian, the eastern hellbender, a large aquatic salamander, has perfectly adapted to its rocky, shallow-water creek environment. Looking for all the world like another rock, hellbenders blend in shockingly well, especially when not lit by strobe lights. Often our inclination is to fill the frame with our subject, but by backing up a bit more, the hellbender is placed in context and its evolutionary adaptations are more well-understood. (Sony a7S III, Nikonos 13mm f/1.8 Fisheye lens, Isotta housing, dual Kraken KR-S80 strobes, Kraken 5" Monitor, 1/4s, f/13, ISO 160)

If not for the fins, this scorpionfish would be invisible for all intents and purposes. Getting down at eye level may be better for portraits of the actual animal, but a lot of the context and crypsis would be lost. A wider perspective like this demonstrates just how well spotted scorpionfish are adapted to their environments and what makes them such remarkable predators (Sony a9, Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro, Seafrogs housing, dual Retra Flash strobes, Nauticam EMWL, f/10, 1/100s, ISO 100)
 

One of these algae clumps is not like the other: A striated frogfish masterfully matches its surroundings. Normally, I’d have tried to eliminate the algae from the frame—and I have pictures like that from this series—but this frame shows how closely the anglers resemble their surroundings and how they are such successful ambush predators. Cross-lighting helped emphasize the textures and hairs of both the fish and the algae (Sony a1, Sony FE 28–60mm f/4–5.6, Isotta housing, Kraken Sports +6 diopter, dual Kraken Sports KR-S40 strobes with Backscatter OS-1 snoots, f/11, 1/100s, ISO 100)
 

Nothing to see here! Viewed from above, this common octopus blends masterfully into the rubble bottom across which it is crawling. It would be simple to swim straight over it. A shallow depth of field helped pull the octopus away from the substrate slightly. Had I shot the picture with the aperture more stopped down, the octopus wouldn’t have stood out quite so much and the image may not have worked (Sony a1, Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, Isotta housing, custom curved macro port, dual Kraken KR-S40 strobes, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 100)