The incredible Coconut Octopus. While in Anilao, we spent 2 night dives in the shallows of the town pier watching the behavior of these incredibly smart creatures. They use their tentacles to wrap themselves in shells for protection and ambush prey. If you bring them a shell and place it near them, they will slowly unfurl a single tentacle to analyze if they think its a good new home. If they like your gift, they will happily pick it up, adding it to their armor.
Ghost Pipefish float just above the sea floor, with their mouth facing downwards. Their coloring and texture make them nearly impossible to see against their surroundings as they feed on tiny crustaceans sucked through their long snout. Because they blend in so well, in post processing I chose a background effect that would bring out its intricate details.
