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Name: Celia Kujala
Picture title: My New Toy
Category: People’s Choice
Nationality: United States
Occupation: Wildlife photography is my passion
Technical information
Camera: Nikon D500
Lens: Tokina 10-17mm f3.5-4.5 fisheye lens
EXIF: 1/250 at f11 ISO 500
Accessories: Nauticam NA-D500 housing, dual Sea & Sea YS-D2J strobes
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Celia Kujala | My New Toy
Name: Celia Kujala
Picture title: My New Toy
Category: People’s Choice
Nationality: United States
Occupation: Wildlife photography is my passion
Technical information
Camera: Nikon D500
Lens: Tokina 10-17mm f3.5-4.5 fisheye lens
EXIF: 1/250 at f11 ISO 500
Accessories: Nauticam NA-D500 housing, dual Sea & Sea YS-D2J strobes
Celia says:
Play is very important in the development of young Steller sea lions and they love playing with anything they find in their environment. When I was diving at Norris Rocks off Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada, I watched this young sea lion play with a starfish. As I watched her, she swam over to me to show me her beautiful toy. I was able to capture the image just as she was presenting the starfish to me. Sadly, Steller sea lions are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. By observing their playful nature, I hope people will feel a connection with them and want to protect them and their environment.
Celia Kujala
USA
Celia Kujala is an international award-winning wildlife and underwater photographer. From the moment she saw California sea lions for the first time at the Prospect Park Zoo when she was fourteen months old, she felt a special bond with them. However, it wasn’t until she got scuba certified and started underwater photography in 2017 that she found her true calling. She is currently working on a project called Seal Peace about all the species of pinnipeds in the world. Through her photography she hopes to engender an appreciation for each individual species as well as their diverse environments and the challenges those environments are facing. She strives to learn everything she can about her subjects in order to most accurately and intimately tell their stories.