Annabelle Haudry is a self-described adrenaline-junkie. Currently working as a post-doctoral fellow in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, Haudry enjoys skydiving, alpine-skiing and scuba diving. She took a serious interest in photography two years ago, and now enjoys taking photos of nature, underwater landscapes, and creating panoramas.

This photo was taken last Christmas, 20 metres underwater at Maria La Gorda in Cuba. In foreground is an anenome, most likely of the species Condylactis gigantea. Haudry says that the most difficult aspect of taking this photo was maintaining neutral buoyancy — the vertical position in the water — without anything to anchor herself. “I didn’t want to touch the coral or disturb the environment.”

“It requires quite a lot of organization and preparation to take a camera underwater,” says Haudry. Although she lost her underwater camera gear on a previous expedition in the Maldives, Haudry took the plunge and bought new equipment. “As a biologist, I find it fascinating to be able to explore this environment and observe wildlife so closely,” she says.

Visit Annabelle’s Flickr page