Pincushion Urchin, San Francisquito Reef, Sea of Cortez

I probably spent more time on these urchins than any other subject this trip. As photographic subjects, they have a lot going for them. They're plentiful. They're not the swiftest things on the ocean floor, hence they're not wriggling their way out of focus. But the best thing about hen is that they're complex and interesting. I've got pictures form lots of different angles, but my favorite is this one, which shows the five-sided symmetry, the varying sizes and angles of the spines, and the texture of the body itself.

Nikon D100, 105mm f/2.8 AF Auto Micro Nikkor, Subal D-10 Housing, 2 Sea and Sea 90 strobes, f/36, ISO 200.