23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Legends of the Submerged Forest

The unmistakable stars of our wildlife photography expedition deep into the Brazilian Amazon on the Rio Negro were the Amazon river dolphins—curious, slow-moving and unlike any other dolphin on Earth. While diving in the blackwater, one dolphin approached, illuminated by shafts of sunlight filtering through the surface. The copper-red glow is the natural light refracting through the dark water, revealing the dolphin’s distinctive form.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Manaus, Brazil
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © LEIGHTON LUM
Awards
Finalist