23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Echoes in the Dark

Beneath the calm surface of Hanifaru Bay, Maldive, a formation of reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) drifts through the water in quiet symmetry. Their pale, patterned bodies and the faint reflections beneath them create a graphic play of shape and shadow against the dark void. In a moment of stillness, light and motion reduce to form — transforming the rays’ passage into a minimalist composition shaped by the ocean itself.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2023
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Maldives
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Copyright: © Wayne Lai