underwater photographer specialized in capturing octopuses and other cephalopods in their natural environment
Top Models
all octopuses are equal, but some are true top models who love to pose for the camera & interact with an octoparazzo
Ninji
Elegant and gracious as a top model can be! Living on the shoreline, this common octopus could pose while eating and, in the meantime, always looking into the lens. I spent many hours seeing her crawling graciously on the rocks!
Super Pulpon
This trusty white-spotted octopus, Super Pulpon, had been navigating the galaxy for over nine months. His flexibility, strength and marksmanship made him a feared member amongst his peers.
Angelica E.
One of a kind. She was so lovely and caring, at least to me, maybe not so to other octopuses, because she could be pretty jealous. This octopus filled my heart with joy for a long time. She was curious and loved to play with my camera system.
Azahra
Strong and stubborn but with three big hearts. Her expertise and leadership skills made her stand out. Being on her own, when having a photoshoot, she knew how to pose and match her skin at every shot.
Nocturnal
Leaving at sunset his terrestrial home, the octoparazzo usually gets to work at night, entering 'The Kingdom of Yabisa' at one of its busiest moments: the octopuses wake up, bobtail squids emerge from the sand and cuttlefish& squid enter the bay to commute from the outer rims...
OCTOPARAZZO
UW-Photographer & Cephalotographer at ‘The Kingdom of Yabisa’. Citizens-Scientist and Cephalopod freak.
Being underwater is where Hidde feels best as a professional photographer of Dutch origin. Coming to Ibiza in the 70s and being the son of a navy diver, snorkelling and scuba diving are his second nature. As a child, he was always looking for the shiny abalone; this way, he learned to find the dens of the common octopuses easily.
Since 2004, he started taking uw-photos of the octopuses and cuttlefish that live around Ibiza, for starters, only a few times a year. Nowadays, he goes year-round, every week 2-3 times, to dive in a unique cove at night to see and photograph the local cephalopods.
“Entering the sea at sunset and scuba diving with moonlight is a unique and relaxing way to observe all these extraordinary residents. Every night is different, and I stay at least 2-3 hours in the water, always carrying my camera(s) and taking photos of the cephalopods. After a while, you’ll get to know the local octopuses. Some will accept you in their world and show you their daily routines and survival skills. A few even become ‘Super Models’ who know how to work the camera well.
Around Ibiza, we have five different cephalopods that you can commonly find. The Common Octopus, White Spotted Octopus, Common Cuttlefish, Calamari and the most petite and maybe most beautiful of all: the Dwarf Bobtail Squid. Each is a master in disguise and sometimes very hard to see, even when it’s just in front of you. Having their personality and character, I am still mesmerised by these ever-changing, extraordinary residents of ‘The Kingdom of Yabisa’, and after every night dive, I leave the seawater with a massive smile on my face and full of energy for my next adventure in this almost unknown nightlife of Ibiza.”
DAYTIME Octoparazzo having a rare 'daytime' photoshoot with a Cuttlefish.
© photos: Tom Juijn
Hidde founded the very exclusive and somewhat elusive ‘The Cephalopod Club’. As a citizen scientist, he’s collaborating with his images for research and awareness for :
CBL Cephalopod Behaviour Lab / CSIC Spanish National Research Council / IMM Institute of Marine Research / National Geographic / SEA SHEPHERD International
In the end, light and composition make a great photo......and, of course, having a great cephalopod as a model!