WINNER CATEGORY HUMAN AND NATURE
XJ Toh | The Sad Poncho

Name: XJ Toh
Picture title: The Sad Poncho
Category: Human and Nature
Nationality: Singapore
Occupation: Yes, I am the principal photographer of UglyCarrot Studio based in Singapore. We are a comprehensive photography studio providing commercial photography services, specializing in beauty and skincare portraits, as well as product photography. We have recently expanded our offerings to include underwater photography, a service inspired by my deep interest and passion for the aquatic world.

Technical information
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon Nikkor Z MC 105mm F/2.8 VR S
EXIF: 1/200. F9. ISO 100
Accessories: Nauticam Underwater Housing. 2 x Inon Z-330 strobes

XJ Toh​ says:

Nautili are grabby little creatures known to latch onto passing jellyfish in the ocean. Based on my research, they do this as a mode of travel or for more devious reasons, like sneakily siphoning the jellyfish’s food for themselves. I did a double-take at how cartoonish this Nautilus looked when I first saw it. But it’s initial silliness hides a sobering truth: somehow, this Nautilus – despite living more than 20m underwater – had found this plastic packaging. I spoke to a few locals in Anilao (Philippines) about my experience after my dives, and this was what was shared with me. Families would dump their trash on a nearby mountain because of the inaccessibility of trash points. And when typhoons arrive, these
heaps of plastic bags, styrofoam cups, food wrappers, and so on would be scattered by the winds into the ocean… and what was once used to store bread and treats for humans would be mistaken by these Nautili as their own food sources, not realizing that they’ve latched onto an empty inedible bag. Our minds often deceive us when we spot distant or obscure shapes, seeking familiarity in the unknown. When I first saw the Nautili with the plastic bag, my first thought was that it resembled a person in a torn poncho. It’s the mind’s way of interpreting limited information. I wanted to depict this quirky character to reveal a sobering truth – like a man with a torn poncho, this cartoon-looking creature is unable to escape the consequences of manmade ecological disasters and the wrath of nature. I observed the creature for a while, noticing its fearful, uncertain, and sorrowful demeanor. Its distress wasn’t due to my presence as a visiting diver, but rather, the harsh reality that it had no other option but to cling on to this desolate vessel for survival.