Why does ink skin always change color? Have you ever seen squid change from one color to another? Especially during the breeding season, they constantly change color to attract each other.

It was the perfect time to photograph the magnificent cephalopod that changes the color of its skin. During their mating season, the male cuttlefish exhibits an otherworldly rainbow of orange, purple, turquoise and yellow.Thirty-year-old photographer David Edgar and his wife, Alice, were in the right place at the right time, in Cabbage tree Bay, near Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia, to witness and photograph the spectacle of these marine animals.

It is a desperate attempt to “impress the ladies” during their short lives: cuttlefish live only one or two years; Male cuttlefish transform their skin color into a stunning color pattern that is truly dazzling, as Edgar’s photographs show.

“These photos are of the giant cuttlefish, the largest species of cuttlefish in the world found in the waters off southern Australia,” Edgar told Caters. “Giant cuttlefish can change the color and texture of their skin in a matter of seconds, whether to camouflage themselves in their environment, to protect themselves from predators or to attract a mate.”

Cuttlefish are a relative of the octopus and squid and live in temperate or shallow coastal waters, migrating to deeper waters in winter. There are approximately 100 species of this cephalopod, the most common of which breed during spring and summer and lay between 100 and 300 eggs, says the Encyclopedia Britannica.Their incredible ability to change color and texture allows them to blend perfectly into their underwater environment. Cuttlefish can also shoot plumes of ink as a defense mechanism to escape predators. However, during mating season, as Edgar’s photos reveal, males also have the ability to stand out brilliantly.

“Male cuttlefish often adopt striking rainbow patterns during the mating season in an attempt to impress females,” he says. “Cuttlefish are usually quite shy and are often found hiding under rocks.“However, during the mating season, the largest males often put on extravagant multicolored displays while swimming openly in the bay.”

Edgar takes his underwater wildlife photos like a scuba diver, meaning he dives without underwater breathing apparatus, holding his breath for two to three minutes at a time, an activity in which he and his partner, Alice, engaged. when she noticed stunning images. of people diving among humpback whales on Instagram. He considers himself a “serious amateur” freediving photographer.

He says freediving is the most discreet and “best way to connect with the animals of our oceans on their terms,” according to his Edgar Pacific Photography website.

The cuttlefish don’t seem to mind the pair of divers in their midst, as they are busy with their own business.

“They’re not particularly worried about divers when they’re focused on finding a mate,” says Edgar. “Giant cuttlefish have a reputation for ‘living fast and dying young’ – they only live 1 or 2 years, so they really need to focus on finding a mate.”

Meanwhile, they are among the strangest animals in the world. “They have three hearts and green blood, which makes them one of the most alien animals in the world,” says Edgar.

Edgar and his wife, Alice, have also dived and photographed other magnificent marine animals such as humpback whales, seals and manta rays. and more recently, he fulfilled his most dangerous aspiration of diving with orcas, also known as killer whales, in the fjords of the Norwegian Arctic, with more impressive images to show off on his Instagram page.