Dolphins in Clear Water

Clear blue water surrounds a small pod of dolphins moving above a coral reef. Sun bands stripe their backs as they angle through the shallows, with pale sand opening between darker coral heads below. Small reef fish and branching coral add bits of yellow, orange and blue.

The three dolphins are the obvious place to start. Their smooth bodies contrast with the smaller branches and rounded heads of coral below. Each animal faces a slightly different direction, so the fins and tails do not share one outline. The water is darkest farther from the surface. Near the reef, sandy gaps appear brighter than the surrounding blue and help locate the spaces between coral clusters.