Name: Luis Arpa Toribio
Picture title: Featherhome
Category: Underwater
Nationality: Spain
Occupation: I am a retired scientist and entrepreneur
Technical information
Camera: Nikon Z7
Lens: Nikon AF-S F105 f/2.8 VR
EXIF: 1/50 f/11 ISO200
Accessories: Nauticam housing NA-Z7, Nauticam EMWL 160°, 2x Scubalamp D-Pro strobes
CATEGORY WINNER CATEGORY UNDERWATER
Luis Arpa Toribio | Featherhome
Name: Luis Arpa Toribio
Picture title: Featherhome
Category: Underwater
Nationality: Spain
Occupation: I am a retired scientist and entrepreneur
Technical information
Camera: Nikon Z7
Lens: Nikon AF-S F105 f/2.8 VR
EXIF: 1/50 f/11 ISO200
Accessories: Nauticam housing NA-Z7, Nauticam EMWL 160°, 2x Scubalamp D-Pro strobes
Luis Arpa Toribio says:
I’ve always been fascinated by the smallest creatures of the reef, those that most divers overlook. For a long time, I had imagined photographing these tiny critters from their own perspective, to show what their miniature world might look like if you were right there with them.
In Tulamben, Bali, while exploring feather stars, I came across a crinoid shrimp (Laomenes amboinensis). Perfectly camouflaged in both color and pattern, it clung tightly to its host, spending most of its time motionless and relying on the feather star for protection as well as for food drifting in the current. Normally, such shrimps disappear into their surroundings, but with the help of a “bug-eye” wet lens, I was able to get very close while still keeping most of the crinoid in frame.
That unusual perspective gave exactly the feeling I was hoping for, a view that pulls you inside the shrimp’s fragile, hidden world, where beauty and survival depend entirely on blending in.
Luis Arpa Toribio
Spain
My fascination with nature has been a lifelong companion, nurtured since childhood when I discovered my father’s old Praktica camera and began capturing the world around me. My studies in biology further deepened my understanding of life, and it was during my college years that I first combined my love of wildlife with photography.
Over time, I have explored many photographic genres, from commercial work and book illustration to catalog photography, but underwater photography has become my true passion. I dedicate most of my creative energy to exploring marine ecosystems, though I still occasionally photograph terrestrial wildlife.
Photography, for me, is both an expression of creativity and a way to reveal the wonders of the natural world. I aim to inspire curiosity, appreciation, and conservation through my images, showing audiences the beauty and fragility of underwater life. My work has been recognized in several wildlife competitions, particularly in the underwater category, reflecting my commitment to artistic excellence and environmental stewardship.