The Ghost That Walks

Technique: A 35 MM lens on a 2:1 extension tube mounted to a Nikonis III camera. The strobe is left of center 6" away from the subject. The film used is Fugi Velvia 64 ASA.

Summary: This Ghost Shrimp is so transparent that the only way to see him is by some defining coloration in a few spots. Notice his eyes...the two white dots above the antenna. The tentacles that are protecting him from predators are provided by Razor Coral, not an anemone. Photo taken in the Solomon Islands

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Ghost Shrimp | Solomon Islands

As is the case in Fiji, the best way to see and dive the Soloman Islands is on a live aboard. I was on a ship called the Bilikiki. It was a converted mine sweeper left over from WW II and is a great ship. A completely self-contained vessel for divers. I still miss the taste of “Bush Lime” juice after a dive.

For this image, we happened to be anchored off the shoreline of a small island, and I decided to go in off the back of the ship. Sort of like a shore dive. Cruising around, I noticed several types of Razor Coral on the bottom in about 20′ of water.

Never expecting this, I learned on this one dive by observing the corals, they open up tentacles to feed like most corals but resemble sea anemones. What I initially suspected as a few anemones were actually razor corals opened up completely and feeding. As is the case with anemones, these tentacles also become the temporary homes (and protection) for some species of crustaceans. If it wasn’t for the white in his eyes, I would have never spotted this guy. And I felt like I won a lottery the way he came out and posed for me. With the exception of some color here and there, he was completely transparent. Shooting with a strobe, I was able to help the camera separate him from the background.