Extraordinary image of bioluminescent plankton captured by photographer
Tom Fecht's photo, titled Lucifer's Vortex and part of the touring Storm exhibition from the Prix Pictet award, shows light from plankton mixing with reflections of moonlight in a wave in Brittany
In the soft glow of twilight, a photographer captured an extraordinary sight off the coast of Brittany, France. Millions of minuscule organisms, plankton, illuminated the sea with a gentle blue light, barely discernible to the human eye. These plankton, driven by warmer waters, are on the brink of migration or extinction, their fragile existence hanging in the balance due to shifting ocean currents.
The photographer, Tom Fecht, aimed his lens down into the Atlantic, hoping to reveal a world unseen by the naked eye. After numerous failed attempts, Fecht stumbled upon the plankton's bioluminescence, a phenomenon caused by compounds called luciferins. This ethereal glow led him to nickname the image "Lucifer's Vortex". Beyond its visual allure, Fecht hopes this captivating photograph will shed light on the urgent need to protect these tiny yet vital creatures.
As part of the travelling Storm exhibition from the Prix Pictet award, this image seeks to bring awareness to the beauty of nature and the challenges it faces.
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