Our jury decided on the winners of the Life among the Reefs photo competition, linked to the LIFE Pinna project. The selection was not easy, as many interesting images were received, even of non-trivial species. The evaluation criteria used were relevance to the theme of the competition (priority was therefore given to species observable in the first few metres of water and along the tide line), the quality of the submitted file and the ‘difficulty’ of the scene documented. Here then is the podium, with the reasons for it.

FIRST PLACE
Alessandro Grasso, with the blenny (Parablennius gattorugine), protruding from the valves of a dead Pinna nobilis. The image is of excellent quality, is creative and documents an interesting behaviour of these fish, which often use what they encounter on the bottom as a refuge.

SECOND PLACE
Aldo Boglia, with the ‘mullet king’ fish (Apogon imberbis), incubating the eggs received from the female in its mouth. The image is special because it documents a very special case of parental care involving the males of this species.

THIRD PLACE
Alberto Colletti, with the peacock warbler (Salaria pavo) in a reef pool portrayed in mid-water. The image may seem less ‘powerful’ than the others, but it is very relevant to the theme of ‘Life among the Reefs’ and is difficult to achieve. It documents very effectively the two habitats, above and below the water, in a single scene, with a point of view similar to that of the protagonist fish.

A special mention also goes to Andrea Sabino, with his ‘cemetery’ of Pinna nobilis, and to Edoardo Casoli for his young Pinna nobilis emerging from a Posidonia oceanica meadow: a nice sign of hope.