It’s a grey and miserable day in Scotland, with weather that is often described as ‘dreich’.  This is a marvelous word; pronounced like ‘reek’, it really suits cold, overcast, and drizzly days.  In an effort to remind myself of some of my favorite dives in warm and not so warm waters, I’ve put together a compilation of images that are all about color.  I hope you enjoy ’em.

This marvelous fellow is Flabellina pedata, the Violet Sea Slug, found off my local coastline in waters that were warm by UK standards, at least fifteen degrees Celsius (59 F)!

Contrasting colors work very well.  In this image from the Medes islands off Spain’s Mediterranean coast, my flash guns (‘strobes’ is the more accurate word used in the industry), illuminated the bright colors of the gorgonians, which contrasts superbly against the blue.  Having a willing buddy helped to give the shot a sense of ‘this could be you’.

This is one of my favorite images of the year.  A Blue-striped Fang Blenny sheltering in a hole that has been overgrown by a sponge.

Following on with the ‘red’ theme, this Cephalopholis miniata was enjoying a visit to a cleaning station.  I failed utterly to capture the wrasses.  Again, the color has been added (revealed perhaps?) by my strobes; on the reef these fish look a drab brown.

Fish portraits are always a great way to enjoy color, especially in fish that are so ‘contrast rich’ like this Pomacanthus imperator.

Another great piece of color contrast: this image of a tiny Amphiprion nigripes, it has that cute quality too!

Finally, this image of a nudibranch from the Red Sea.  The common Chromodoris quadricolor shows color used for a purpose!  Just like hornets and wasps, this animal warns ‘stay away’ with its coloration.  These creatures incorporate toxins from sponges into their own bodies, and they possess special glands in their mantles where the commandeered toxins are stored.