For one week a year the (pricey) Monterey Bay Aquarium is open for free for locals. Chris and I went last Saturday and braved the long serpentine line to get our glimpse of creatures seldom seen.

The photography conditions in the aquarium go from bad to worse but I persevered and ended up with a few memorable shots included here. It is dark in most exhibits since below the ocean’s surface light diminishes rapidly. I had to crank up my ISO to its max. And there is, of course, glass between you and the salt water. Lots of it. It results in blurring, glaring, reflections and distortion. And one must also wade through the crowds to first get close to the glass. The ratio of usable photographs to far-too-crappy photographs was at a new low. Yet a few images, with help from Photoshop, convey the startling beauty and mystery of the aquarium inhabitants. I am still sorting through the images.

Enjoy.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Please do not reproduce any photographs without permission. Prints are available for purchase for some photographs. If you are interested, contact Carla at: brennan.carla@gmail.com. You can also find Carla’s photographs, paintings and jewelry on her Etsy site (Stones and Bones): https://www.etsy.com/shop/stonesandbones

This gallery contains 34 photos