Octopus changing color

[wddoebler]

Sally and I were snorkeling at Maho Bay, St. John, USVI yesterday. ; We saw this octopus moving about looking for food. ; The amazing thing was the way it was able to instantaneously change color to match the color of the bottom of the ocean upon which it was sitting. ; All seven of these pictures are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart. ; The total length of the photo shoot was only about 5 minutes before it escaped into a shallow hiding place where I could not follow.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[wddoebler]

All seven of these photos are of the same octopus taken just seconds apart.

 

[mSummers]

Very Cool! ; Are you using an underwater housing or a waterproof camera for those?

 

[gary]

very cool octopus shots, i like them, both wild and as dinner

 

[wddoebler]

Very Cool! ; Are you using an underwater housing or a waterproof camera for those?

Michael,
I'm using my old Olympus C-60 point and shoot digital camera in an underwater housing which was my only digital camera for several years before I got My Nikon D700 for my Alaska trip in July.

 

[zackiedawg]

Very cool shots and a great experience. ; Octopuses (octopi) are amazing to watch because of that fast color and pattern change they can perform - they'll even create moving patterns across their bodies that can blink like neon signs and move like LED sequence lights. ; They're also quite intelligent animals and very curious - get one that's not being defensive and they'll be all over you with their tentacles, checking you out to see what you're all about.