'Sea of Fish and Light' Wins Photo Contest

It was May 2024 when I boarded my very first off-shore boat trip. We were in the Keys and I wanted to experience what such an expedition was like before going on a class trip to Looe Key Reef the following week. My dad and I searched around and found a boat headed out to Alligator Reef Lighthouse, a few miles east of the Keys. I recorded what the trip was like in my journal: "We arrived in wonderland! Millions of baitfish swirled around the barnacle-covered structure of the lighthouse, a silverly veil obscuring its interior. As I approached, the veil receded ahead of me, revealing a shaded cavern. As my eyes adjusted, I saw Barracudas and Parrotfish suspended in the water. A Nurse Shark rested on the bottom. It was so magical."

My DSLR can't go underwater, so I was shooting with my little Olympus TG-6 pocket camera. I had no clue that any of the shots would turn out well, and I was stunned a few days later when I imported this one to my computer, converted it to black and white, and saw how it perfectly encapsulated the magical feeling of that day. To me, it's a snapshot of a Florida summer: beautiful, wild, and nostalgic. That's why it was such an honor today to learn that the photo won two awards, including Best in Show, in Big Waters Land Trust's 2025 Summer Photo Contest. Big Waters Land Trust is an amazing organization working to preserve our nature and I'm humbled that my photo received this recognition. To see the results of the contest and all the stunning photos submitted, visit Big Waters' Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BigWatersLandTrust.