It never fails to amaze me that you can dive a site or location repeatedly...and completely miss the obvious.
For instance, I don't recall seeing a single blenny during the dozens of dives I did on my first visit to Ambon. In hindsight, I'm sure there were plenty around. I was probably just so preoccupied with the Maluku frogfish and other critters that I didn't notice them...which is a shame, since blennies are so darn cute.
Their inquisitive eyes, goofy expressions and fidgety demeanor make these fish some of the most entertaining and endearing animals to watch...though they're often quite frustrating to (try to) photograph.
On my recent visit to Ambon, I found blennies on nearly ever dive. Even better, they weren't shy like they often are. Nope. In fact, most of the time, the blennies I came across stayed out in the open, busy doing blenny stuff..even sauntering over to take a closer look in some instances. One nibbled on my pointer.
The thing about photographing blennies is that you need to make eye contact. These fish look at you...I mean they really check you out. Of course, their eyes dart around, so nailing the exact timing of when the blenny in question looks straight at you maximises the fish's cuteness, which in turn increases the impact of your photo.
Actually, I could have and probably should have spent more time with the blennies of Ambon, but there were just so many other things demanding my attention...and I got the feeling that some of the blennies grew tired of putting up with me.
