Teeming with life, coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the ocean floor but sustain 25 percent of marine species. These hubs of biodiversity now face existential threats, from ocean warming and acidification to destructive fishing practices and pollution. It’s their stunning beauty that first caught the attention of photographer Georgette Apol Douwma during a trip to the Great Barrier Reef in the 1970s. Some 40 years, many scuba dives, and thousands of pictures later, Douwma began to reimagine her catalog by duplicating and reversing images to create symmetrical patterns similar to a kaleidoscope’s. The results emphasize the vibrancy and brilliance of these vulnerable underwater wonders.
(As hot as a hot tub: how soaring ocean temperatures are affecting corals.)
