Herding Sheep at Kids Sea Camp. “Shaun the Sheep”
I’ve been obsessed with photographing sheep since seeing Dr. Alex Mustard’s famous photograph. I booked my Kids Sea Camp Philippines trip with Margo and Tom Peyton in 2020. When I learned that “Shaun the Sheep” could easily be found on most dives, I was excited about shooting this little sea slug. The guides at Amunini are incredible, and you can find almost anything you ask for, including the sheep! (Shout out to Reggie and Dave.) Finding Shaun the Sheep underwater is fun, but capturing a photo of one of the critters you could imagine is quite the challenge.
They are among the most difficult to capture because they live on a single green leaf growing on the sandy bottom. Furthermore, they tend to blend in with their environment, namely, the leaf they’re trying to eat.
Be patience
On the first dive, Reggie, my guide from Amuni Ini Divers, was excited because he found me one. Reggie pointed to a leaf with a green blob. I thought to myself, “Is that it? That can’t be it?” But it was!
After several shots, I finally saw the creature when I zoomed in on the viewfinder. It was tiny, green, and cute. I kept taking photos, but it was time to move on. A few seahorses, pygmy squid, and nudibranchs were nearby; if I have to give one piece of advice, it is to have patience and more patience! You must stop and take a decent photo of a sheep.
I’m a sheep herder
Upon finding Shaun, I spent 30 minutes on one leaf on my second dive! Kim, my lovely dive buddy and wife, was gone when I looked up. She finally decided to join another group, leaving me with Dave, my excellent Amun ini guide. Finally, Dave wrote on his slate, “Have you had enough of Shaun the Sheep?” Onto the seahorses we went. In the end, I ended up with some excellent photos. Nothing like Alex’s masterpiece. But it’s a work in progress.
I look forward to our next trip to Lembeh in January with Margo and Tom, with Family Dive Adventures and Murex Divers. Just call me the Sheep Herder of Indonesia.
By Marcio Curvello