Finalist - Travel Photographer of the Year. December 2017.

One Shot Category | Wildlife, Sea Life

Moving as one, a bait ball of venomous, juvenile Striped eel catfish hunt for tiny morsels to feast on. They maraud like a dark cloud drifting over the ocean floor, strength in numbers. I wanted to capture the ripple-like effect created as they rummage for prey in the sand.

These catfish have highly venomous serrated spines that can deliver a potentially fatal toxic punch. After watching their incessant march, I noticed that in this particular location, they typically chose to go around obstacles rather than over them. Once I understood their parameters, I was able to predict their movement and from behind the relative safety of my camera and housing, position myself right in their path.

Location: El Quseir, Red Sea, Egypt

Photographer: Laura Storm