Understanding the natural wonder of bioluminescence

You may have read recently about photographers capturing a rare bioluminescent spectacle off the South Australian coast at Waitpinga - but did you know what it is? It’s when the sea sparkles a neon blue or green or even red. It's a beautiful sight and definitely one for the bucket list.

The ocean can glow and glitter like the stars in the sky thanks to a natural chemical process known as bioluminescence, which allows living things to produce light in their body.

Marine creatures like some fish, squid, tiny crustaceans and algae produce bioluminescence to either confuse predators, attract prey or even lure potential mates.

We humans can witness this natural phenomenon when there is lots of bioluminescence in the water, usually from an algae bloom of plankton. The bioluminescent sea will glow when it’s disturbed by a wave breaking or a splash in the water at night.

Algae bloom sea sparkle events are caused by calm and warm sea conditions. But you can see specks of bioluminescence when it’s created nearby by a light-producing marine creature.

Sparkling night lights have been photographed across Australia, including in South Australia. Check out these ones – you’ll be in awe:

Nature really can put on a stunning show, but it’s not as easy as it looks to photograph ocean bioluminescence. Check out these hot tips to capture the cool glow.

Feeling inspired to capture the beauty of nature? Check out our blog abouttaking nature photos on your mobile phone, or learn from expert photographer Carl Charter in histips for underwater photography.

(Main image courtesy of Chatwin Photography)

This story was originally posted in April 2018.