Photographers. Divers swimming into a sea cave in the Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand.

Cathedral Cove, NZ

Eel Study. Two morays pose for my buddy at the Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand.

Tambja nudibranch from Poor Knights. <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165

Massive Bull Kelp in New Zealand. Canon A630

Speckled Moray. Poorknights, New Zealand. Nik F90x in Subal, singal strobe, Veliva 100. These Eels can be very inquisitive and come out of their holes to sniff around, they get CLOSE!

A goat fish taken with 60mm Nikon with F90x in a subal, single strobe. Velvia 100 film. Poorknights New Zealand.

It's a sponge taken at about 40 metres. I liked the shape, making it look like something from space. Taken with Nikon F90x in a miniflex, 60mm macros lens and a single Sea&sea ys60 Strobe. Taken at the Poor Knights islands where I used to work.

A mean looking Speckled Moray (Gymnothorax obesus) with wide mouth threat posture. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

A smiling (well sort of ) Scaly-headed Triplefin (Karalepis stewarti). <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

A huge Northern Scorpionfish (Scorpaena cardinalis) filling my frame, maybe it's time to get a wide angle lens. <> <> <> <> Canon G9
Shortlisted!

Pucker up for this Solitary Hard Coral (Monomyces rubrum). <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

Portrait of a goofy Grey Moray (Gymnothorax nubilus). <> <> <> <> Canon G9

Blue green monster from the deep, aka. Verco's Tambja (Tambja verconis). <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

Portrait of a Spectacled Triplefin (Ruanoho whero) perched on his fins. <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

"Patterns" of a Starfish (Ophidiaster sp.) close up. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

A Variable Triplefin (Forsterygion varium) resting on a bed of orange sponge. <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

Variable Nudibranch (Apheldoris luctuosa) or is it a vampire nudi with fangs? <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

Pure gold, a Yaldwyn's Triplefin (Notoclinops yaldwyni). <> <> <> <> Canon G9, Inon UCL-165 macro lens

Verco's Tambja (Tambja verconis) with it's electric blue colouring. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

A colourful Spanish lobster (Arctites antipodum) doing it's tank impression. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

A shy and well camouflaged Sea Horse (Hippocampus abdominalis) hiding in some shallow weeds. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

Verco's Tambja (Tambja verconis) laying an egg ring. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

I was taking wide angle shots of colourful sponges in a small cave, when I noticed this Red Pigfish (Bodianus unimaculatus) looking at it's reflection in the air bubble above me. <> <> <> <> Canon G9

Huge Northern Scorpionfish (Scorpaena cardinalis), Canon G9 at 35mm equivalent, makes me wish for a wide angle lens.

"Dont mess with me!"............................ A snarling Mosaic Moray (Gymnothorax prionodon) <> <> <> <> Canon G9

Through to 2008 awards final round judging

Lord Howe Coralfish (Amphichaetodon howensis) with Red Hogfish in background. <> <> <> <> Canon G9