Underwater Photographer Wins Award for Photo That Is 97% Backscatter

Amateur underwater photographer Dennis Kowalski has won first place in the Pacific Diving Photography Competition's 'Artistic Expression' category for an image that he privately acknowledges is almost entirely backscatter -- the bright, out-of-focus particles that result from a strobe illuminating suspended sediment directly in front of the lens. The winning image, titled 'Luminous Depths,' depicts what Kowalski intended to be a close-up of a nudibranch on a coral wall. The nudibranch is technically present in the photograph but occupies approximately 3 percent of the frame. The remaining 97 percent consists of illuminated plankton, sand particles, and what marine biologist Dr. Yuki Tanaka identified as 'a small piece of someone's granola bar.' Judges praised the image's 'dreamlike quality' and 'impressionistic approach to marine portraiture.' Head judge Francesca DiMello called it 'a bold rejection of the sharp, clinical style that dominates underwater photography. Kowalski has captured not just a subject but an atmosphere.' Kowalski accepted the award with visible discomfort. 'I appreciate the recognition,' he said at the ceremony. 'The atmosphere she's referring to is actually just poor visibility and bad strobe placement. I kicked up the sediment with my fins about four seconds before the shot. The nudibranch is in there somewhere.' His dive buddy confirmed the account. 'Dennis was trying to get a macro shot and instead he finned directly into the reef, creating a cloud of silt that looked like a sandstorm. Then he fired his strobe straight into it. I thought he was having an equipment malfunction.' Kowalski has entered three more competitions with similar images. 'I've accepted my niche,' he said. 'I'm the backscatter guy. Might as well lean into it.' His next project is titled 'Particles: A Study in Accidental Light.' He expects strong results.