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A handsome longnose batfish, an exceptionally rare, and angular fish. Batfish have a remarkably unique and unusual shape and it would be a true shame to not try to show that off! Crosslight was used to not only help the batfish stand out from the surroundings, but to emphasize the fantastic angles. A key to crosslight is the subject has to be in between the flash heads. The light cuts across the subject and provides lots of textures and contrast
 

You’re cruising slowly over a patch of broken coral and scattered rubble, the kind of substrate that seems lifeless. Nothing but shell fragments, sand, and the occasional flicker of something darting away. Your eyes scan for subjects, but nothing stands out. Suddenly, something stops you. There, resting perfectly still on the bottom, is a shape so perfectly symmetrical and geometric that it feels out of place. While initially it doesn’t look like anything special, you then notice eyes, a downturned mouth, and… feet?! You’ve found a batfish!

These bizarre members of the anglerfish family seem more like something imagined than real. Instead of swimming gracefully like most fish, batfish “walk” along the seafloor using their modified fins, propping themselves up and shuffling forward with an awkward gait. Their bodies are dorso-laterally compressed and patterned to help them blend seamlessly into their surroundings, until you know what to look for.

Batfish inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans around the world, but nowhere rivals the diversity found in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. Even there, though, encountering one is never guaranteed. They are masters of camouflage and tend to remain motionless for long stretches, relying on stillness as much as disguise to avoid detection. Many divers log hundreds of dives without ever seeing one.

Being prepared for when you do eventually find one, having camera settings dialed in, approaching slowly and deliberately, can make the difference between a missed chance and an unforgettable image.

There’s also something undeniably endearing about them. Maybe it’s their quirky “walking,” their expressive faces, or just the sheer improbability of their design. Whatever it is, batfish have a way of sticking with you. They are a reminder of how strange the ocean can be. Batfish are among my favorite animals on Earth, and no matter how many times I encounter one, I get excited every time.
 

With one of the most characterful faces of all fishes, my preferred perspective on a batfish is straight down the barrel, showing off that wonderfully grumpy aesthetic. Not every individual will be so accommodating. I find it most helpful to figure out your lighting setup (in this case dual snoots), on a nearby object that is a similar size and shape to your batfish. This gives you a better chance to fire off a shot or two before the batfish decides to play its little turn-around game. Anyone who has attempted to photograph a batfish knows they have an exhausting habit of turning their backs on you just when you were ready to press the shutter
 

While batfish aren't a classic anglerfish like a frogfish or deepwater angler, which use a modified dorsal spine as a lure, they do, in fact, angle! A batfish lure is located beneath its 'nose'. They bounce the lure out and polkadot batfish, the species pictured, actually have a chemical in the lure that they cast out into the water to lure prey to them. When a batfish is in hunting mode, it is often much less concerned with a photographer's presence and is much more accomodating. Shooting from the side really emphasizes the lure
 

While I prefer to photograph batfish dramatically, it is not the only approach. Wide apertures and a smaller in frame perspective, while not quite as impactful, add diversity to your batfish portfolio and perhaps provide a bit extra context that you don't achieve with a more dramatically-lit picture. A bonus, this one also was hunting, casting its lure out!
 

When viewed from above, a shortnose batfish's camouflage is emphasized. This perspective, while it isn't my favorite, can also be a great way to show off the weird and unique shape of this group of fishes. It highlights just how very un-fishlike they actually are. Crosslight is best for this technique when the fish is resting on a similarly colored background. With flat light, the camouflage would be too effective in the picture
 

While batfish are notoriusly difficult to approach, every once in a while you can get a cooperative (and imperious) individual! They prove to be fantastic subjects for close-focus-wide-angle imagery, especially if one stands regally on its feet. The Nauticam EMWL proved invaluable for this picture as the small size of the optic seemed to make the fish more comfortable
 

Similarly to the longnose batfish picture at the top of this article, a head on full-body shot shows the wonderful shape, feet and grumpy face of this polkadot batfish. I will stand on my principles that I feel the more graphic the light, the better, when it comes to photographing batfish. They are all about shape and expression. Crosslight with dual reduction rings were key for making this image successful