Articles

The sinuous curved of a whip coral, Anilao, Philippines
 

While many underwater photographers are generalists and will photograph just about anything interesting that passes in front of the lens, many of us do have our subject preferences. For new DPG Photographer of the Week, Oscar Montferrer, it will be pretty clear from his feature here what his favorite subjects are—nudibranchs and sea slugs!

As a child, Oscar was captivated by Jacques Cousteau’s underwater adventures on TV, and those memories stayed with him. Later in life, when the time was right, he became a certified diver, and through diving, he discovered the ocean’s wonders firsthand and eventually shared that passion as a scuba instructor. Soon after, he combined his love for photography with diving. From old slide cameras to digital ones, his skills evolved, and he developed a special interest in tiny marine life—especially nudibranchs. Introduced to them by fellow divers in Catalonia, Oscar has since traveled widely to photograph as many species as possible.

Oscar says his goal is clear: to reveal the beauty of the smallest sea creatures and raise awareness of their importance. While larger marine animals like whales and sharks get most of the spotlight, the smaller ones are often overlooked. Oscar believes that to love something, people must first see it and know it. Through his Instagram and published work, he contributes to this mission. His photos have appeared in magazines, on websites, and even as covers for two vinyl albums. He also shared his voice in the collective book The Ocean Speaks.
 

A tube anemone showcasing its twisting, turning, delicately toxic tentacles, Spain
 

Less famous than the blue-ringed octopus, but no less toxic is the mototi, Dauin, Philippines
 

A classic Nemo-style anemonefish shelters in its host, Dauin, Philippines
 

Antiopella cristata, looking more like blown glass than a real animal, Spain
 

A small Armina species, feeding on its favorite food, a sea pen, Anilao, Philippines
 

Thankfully skeleton shrimp don’t get larger than about half an inch! Anilao, Philippines
 

Chromidoris joshi, a beautiful sea slug, lit selectively, Anilao, Philippines
 

Common but beautiful, a Chromidoris willani perched on a sponge, Anilao, Philippines
 

Cratena peregrina is a riot of color and here it is feeding on hydroids, Spain
 

A head-on look at a spectacular Felimare picta, Spain
 

A pair of beautiful Flabellina affinis pose for the camera, Spain
 

Glossidoris rufomarginata, lit by snoot to separate from a distracting background, Anilao, Philippines
 

Looking like it is lit from within, Nemesignis banyulensis rises up towards the camera, Spain
 

The wisdom-filled eye of a common octopus, lit by snoot, Spain
 

To see more of Oscar’s beautiful underwater imagery, please give him a follow on Instagram.