This year has been a challenge as far as diving locally is concerned. I had multiple trips planned to Mexico’s Coronado Islands but so far only one has really produced any good diving and images. Here are some photographs from a single long dive at Lobster Shack, enjoying the company of several friends and a host of small California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pups. I tried to depict multiple pups in a single image but alas it was not to be, the water conditions and activity just did not lend itself to that. Fortunately I did have many wanna-be Instagram models who needed help on their posing technique so we got together and practiced inverted fly-bys yielding a few keepers. I also had a few minutes at my favorite portrait spot, “runway #2, carpet of purple algae” alongside a not-quite-adult golden female sea lion. I tried for Rembrandt lighting on her but she did not give me enough frames to quite achieve that. How I love diving with and photographing sea lions, they are the best. Cheers, and thanks for looking!
A beautiful golden-brown female California Sea Lion at the Coronado Islands, posing on a carpet of purple marine algae, Baja California, Mexico.
Image ID: 38559
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Image ID: 38558
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
Image ID: 38560
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Image ID: 38561
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Image ID: 38563
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Image ID: 38564
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion pup at the Coronado Islands, Mexico, inquisitive of the photographer, underwater.
Image ID: 38571
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
California sea lion hanging upside-down underwater, watching the photographer, Baja California, Mexico.
Image ID: 38574
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
