Description
LOCATION: Papua New Guinea
STORY BEHIND THE SHOT: Soft corals from the genus Dendronephthya resemble colorful flower-like heads of broccoli. They grow without the need for sunlight, as they are strictly carnivorous. And they can grow attached to nearly any surface, including manmade ones like this heavy chain. If you look at the composition of the photo, I am aiming upwards, following the coral-covered chain up to a floating shadow at the top-left. That is a floating barge, about 20’x20′, that is in a sheltered bay in a very remote region of PNG. And after I walked across the barge, and photographed the corals on its anchor chain, I asked around the local villages regarding how it came to be. As it turns out, this was the site of a major Japanese base during WWII, and they used this floating barge to store all their ammunition and ordinance, so in case of a fire or attack, they were safe from the resulting explosion. Poetic how an object of war has now become something so beautiful.
If you like the vibrant feel of these soft corals, be sure to also check out Heart of the Sea, also from Papua New Guinea, and Rainbow Reef, showing the same type corals surrounded by anthias fish from the Red Sea.
TO PURCHASE FIREWORKS AS A FINE ART PRINT ON ALUMINUM: Fireworks is best printed in or near its original 3:2 vertical ratio, but is somewhat flexible for cropping into custom shapes. Purchase it online here in standard sizes, or inquire with our design team for custom sizing up to 120″ tall.