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 |