Michal Štros is a Czech biologist, scientist and underwater photographer who has been diving for more than 20 years. His profession enabled him to travel around the globe and to be often close to the places which are regarded as the best places for scuba diving, but it wasn’t until he dived the Great Barrier Reef of Australia for the first time that he developed a passion for underwater photography.
Michal’s favourite dive locations are the Cayman Islands, Bali/Lembeh (Indonesia), Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef, Sipadan/Mabul (Malaysia), and Aliwal Shoal inSouth Africa. His favourite species for underwater photography are the ‘mini monsters and little beauties’ found in muck diving locations.
Michal’s photos are regularly published in scuba diving magazines and presented at exhibitions. He has received several awards in underwater photography contests, including an Honorable Mention in the Underwater Art category of the Ocean Art 2020 Underwater Photography Competition.
His current ‘pet’ is a Canon 80D with Ikelite housing; fisheye, 60mm and 100mm macro lenses; Subsee diopters and RETRA snoot. Some of his underwater photos are processed using creative tools, by a combination of underwater photography and digital software to create captivating – sometimes even surrealist – images.
Michal has recently published a book, The Silent World through the Lens of Underwater Art Photography, available in both Kindle eBook or paperback are available on Amazon).
Surrounded by oceanic black-tip sharks, Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
Time for love – the engagement dance of the colourful mandarin fish, Lembeh, Indonesia
Dwarf lionfish – Dendrochirus brachypterus, Lembeh, Indonesia
Blue-ringed octopus – Hapalochlaena lunulata, Lembeh, Indonesia
Dancing wunderpus octopus – Wunderpus photogenicus, Lembeh, Indonesia
The stargazer Uranoscopus buried in the sand, Lembeh, Indonesia
Yawning scorpionfish – Antennarius striatus, Lembeh, Indonesia
Peacock mantis shrimp – Odontodactylus scyllarus, Lembeh, Indonesia
The eyes of the peacock mantis shrimp – Odontodactylus scyllarus, Amed, Bali, Indonesia
Bearded fireworm – Hermodice carunculata, Biograd na Moru, Croatia
On the hunt – yellow frogfish, Amed, Bali, Indonesia
Long-snouted seahorse – Hippocampus guttulatus, Biograd na Moru, Croatia
Coral goby – Bryaninops yongei, Lembeh, Indonesia
Donut nudibranch – Doto greenamyeri, Amed, Bali, Indonesia
Dancing donut nudibranch – Doto greenamyeri, Amed, Bali, Indonesia
Aeolid nudibranch – Cratena peregrina, Biograd na Moru, Croatia
Two white-tufted worms dancing in the current – Protula tubularia, Biograd na Moru, Croatia
Find more from Michal on his website at www.michalstros.cz
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