16th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
The reef at night

A coral head glows under my UV strobe light, a sparkle of green in the never ending sea of black. This transcendent effect is in actual fact the corals zooxanthellae, which acts as a form of 'sunscreen' to parts of the reef. A sign of coral vitality, this biological wonder is becoming rarer, with coral bleaching and ocean temperatures on the rise.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2018
Date Uploaded: 08.2018
Photo Location: Marsa Allam, Egypt
Camera: NIKON D7200
Copyright: © Cherie Bridges