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at while playing guitar again, I did notice something breathing.<figure id="8814"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*pq6LjX-VzoufVBeWx4EWOA.jpeg"><figcaption>Guitarfish #2.</figcaption></figure>The next one was spotted by David, he pulled me closer and almost put his finger on the creature, but I still didn’t see anything. Only in his picture afterward.How smart is this lionfish covering itself with sand and algae to be camouflaged on the ocean floor? Certainly, a master of its category.<figure id="4012"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*m1RbpvzND1BLSNrPwCrg4Q.jpeg"><figcaption>Lionfish.</figcaption></figure>The next one I forgot the name of and also took long to see it. Hovering above the sea floor in the same colors as the ground, I only spotted it once it moved.<figure id="5002"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*LHbzxtf1-Mlh4hiavw2d5w.jpeg"><figcaption>Random fish.</figcaption></figure>And in case you didn’t see the creature in the picture above, here is a close-up of it.<figure id="b654"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*OLetEmE1J-Trsl6ySPj_OA.jpeg"><figcaption>In case you didn’t spot the fish in the above picture. Here is a close-up.</figcaption></figure>The next one is another master of camouflage. I didn’t see that thing even though my dive master was once again showing weird signs and pointing at the creature. I kept on swimming closer and closer until I saw how huge and scary it was. Then I got a freight and quickly turned around to swim away again.The crocodile fish never moved that entire time.<figure id="6ed9"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*Zm6uxBQBg6n8462j4Fg2lw.jpeg"><figcaption>Crocodile fish.</figcaption></figure>On our very last dive in Mozambique, I was now feeling a lot more confident underwater and after staring at a rock for 5 minutes, I got shocked when it moved all of a sudden and was identified as an octopus.I got so excited, I swam behind the dive master, pulled on her fins and brought her to the site of this camouflaged creature. I almost forgot to breathe and swallowed some water.Yes, for me, to spot an exciting, well-hidden and rare creature as the octopus was the highlight. Especially since the others swam past and didn’t notice. While David was filming the thing, it moved and changed colors. It was amazing.<figure id="7ffd"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*h6iNZLy54UOB-QMgGhLDrw.jpeg"><figcaption>Octopus. David forgot to put the red filter on the camera which is why the picture is so blue-green.</figcaption

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</figure>I hope I can show you in the future some more masters of camouflage and maybe one day I’ll be confident enough to also hold the camera. Until then, I’ll keep sharing David’s footage.<h2 id="6784">Read more about our diving adventures in Mozambique:</h2><div id="cf04" class="link-block">

      <a href="https://readmedium.com/when-i-faced-my-fears-and-did-the-one-thing-i-never-wanted-to-do-58fc0f08a50c">

        <div>
          <div>
            <h2>When I Faced My Fears and Did the One Thing I Never Wanted To Do</h2>
            <div><h3>And sat crying on the ship</h3></div>
            <div><p>medium.com</p></div>
          </div>
          <div>
            <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*seij9eJEIS_-SIfC_0-0Cw.jpeg)"></div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </a>
    </div><div id="442e" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://readmedium.com/going-diving-in-paradise-e8378e09387">
        <div>
          <div>
            <h2>Going Diving in Paradise</h2>
            <div><h3>Off a tropical island in the Indian Ocean</h3></div>
            <div><p>medium.com</p></div>
          </div>
          <div>
            <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*_egFEQVHyam-_0q5RbWTzg.jpeg)"></div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </a>
    </div><div id="58ec" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://readmedium.com/scuba-diving-among-colorful-marine-life-in-the-indian-ocean-668cc1df53">
        <div>
          <div>
            <h2>Scuba Diving Among Colorful Marine Life in the Indian Ocean</h2>
            <div><h3>Another day of enjoying nature down below</h3></div>
            <div><p>medium.com</p></div>
          </div>
          <div>
            <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*w8zEnFpTCw7wnYjYeqXNTA.jpeg)"></div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </a>
    </div><p id="24ed"><i>Join my email list <a href="https://mailchi.mp/9dd74c10ac6b/signup-mydreamofafrica">here</a> if you would like to read more photo essays.</i></p><p id="3a95"><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Anne+Bonfert"><i>Shutterstock</i></a><i> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mydreamofafrica/?hl=en">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXOWGPFOVRSXu9-F14313w">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://mailchi.mp/9dd74c10ac6b/signup-mydreamofafrica">Mailchimp</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/-/de/Anne-Bonfert/e/B08PPD2Y41?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&amp;qid=1668865050&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/Bonfi92/shop?asc=u">Redbubble</a></i></p></article></body>

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Masters of Camouflage

Pictures from the fascinating underwater world

Stingray. | All photos were taken by the author’s husband. Used with permission.

It was quite a journey to get this far, especially since I never wanted to dive in the first place. I was completely happy about being able to snorkel in tropical places and gaze in awe at those colorful fish and other marine life. However, David (my other half) got me into diving.

Still, on the first few dives it didn’t matter if he or the dive master pointed out a fish or some other creature ahead of me, if they weren’t shining in yellow-orange-red and had their blinking disco light on, I wouldn’t see them.

It took a fair amount of dives for me to see more than just the ordinary parrot, butterfly or angel fish. Part of it was because I was so occupied with myself and the act of breathing underwater, but part of it was also because those creatures are just so darn good in camouflage.

So, today I am taking you on a journey down to the bottom of the Indian Ocean in Mozambique to show you what my husband captured. Or did you think I took those shots if I couldn’t even spot those animals in the first place? Certainly not.

I’d be curious if you would have spotted all of them or had difficulties identifying them in the picture as well. Starting with this sea cucumber down below, it might not be the most exciting creature to see but a well-camouflaged one, I’d say.

The next one was one of those moments I was close to the dive master (yes, I’m afraid of losing the group and my partner and dive buddy always swam far away as he’s comfortable below, so I needed someone else close to me) and she showed me some signs pointing into the distance.

I had no idea what she was trying to tell me. Zero. She started to play guitar. I thought she was crazy.

Well, below you can see the gray spotted guitarfish.

Aaaah, now I understand…

We did see a few of them on the following dive and after staring into the sand where she was pointing at while playing guitar again, I did notice something breathing.

The next one was spotted by David, he pulled me closer and almost put his finger on the creature, but I still didn’t see anything. Only in his picture afterward.

How smart is this lionfish covering itself with sand and algae to be camouflaged on the ocean floor? Certainly, a master of its category.

The next one I forgot the name of and also took long to see it. Hovering above the sea floor in the same colors as the ground, I only spotted it once it moved.

And in case you didn’t see the creature in the picture above, here is a close-up of it.

In case you didn’t spot the fish in the above picture. Here is a close-up.

The next one is another master of camouflage. I didn’t see that thing even though my dive master was once again showing weird signs and pointing at the creature. I kept on swimming closer and closer until I saw how huge and scary it was. Then I got a freight and quickly turned around to swim away again.

The crocodile fish never moved that entire time.

On our very last dive in Mozambique, I was now feeling a lot more confident underwater and after staring at a rock for 5 minutes, I got shocked when it moved all of a sudden and was identified as an octopus.

I got so excited, I swam behind the dive master, pulled on her fins and brought her to the site of this camouflaged creature. I almost forgot to breathe and swallowed some water.

Yes, for me, to spot an exciting, well-hidden and rare creature as the octopus was the highlight. Especially since the others swam past and didn’t notice. While David was filming the thing, it moved and changed colors. It was amazing.

Octopus. David forgot to put the red filter on the camera which is why the picture is so blue-green.

I hope I can show you in the future some more masters of camouflage and maybe one day I’ll be confident enough to also hold the camera. Until then, I’ll keep sharing David’s footage.

When I Faced My Fears and Did the One Thing I Never Wanted To Do

And sat crying on the ship

medium.com

Going Diving in Paradise

Off a tropical island in the Indian Ocean

medium.com

Scuba Diving Among Colorful Marine Life in the Indian Ocean

Another day of enjoying nature down below

medium.com

Join my email list here if you would like to read more photo essays.