Double Life

Author: Filippo Carugati
Description: Seabirds have always fascinated me for their double life: perfectly adapted to coastal environments, they divide their time between land—where they gather, nest, and rest—and sea, where they hunt. In this image, I portrayed a European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) roosting on a volcanic rock emerging from the sea. This species has few colonies in the Mediterranean, generally located on small rocky islands, with steep cliffs for nesting and sheltered bays for hunting. While swimming along the Ustica Island shore, I observed this individual during a moment of rest after a long hunting dive. I took this low-angle shot to frame the subject within its two worlds: land and sea. The wave movements create a sinuous composition, enhancing the contrast of light.
Place: Ustica, Italy