Kelp
I photographed this kelp plant in La Jolla Cove at 1:2 macro with a sunburst in the background at F22, with dual opposing strobes.

Print Number - AC004
Limited Edition signed color photography for sale by Stephen Brunson

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Kelp Statistics:

Kelp is the common name for large, leafy brown algae known as seaweed, of the order Laminariales, that grow along colder coastlines. The principal genera of kelp are Laminaria(the true kelps), found in most cool seas, and Macrocystis(the giant kelps) and Nereocystic(the bladder kelps), both of which are restricted to the northern Pacific. Macrocystis grows as long as 65 meters (213 ft). The kelp plant has a rootlike holdfas that fixes to rocky surfaces; a long slender stalk, or stipe; and long, leaflike bladees that manufacture food by photosynthesis. Kelps, like ferns, reproduce by alternation fo generations.

Once a major source of iodine and soda, kelp is now used to manufacure algin, a substance which is used to make tires and to prevent ice cream from crystallizing. Kelp is rich in vitamins and minerals and is a staple, especially in the diets of the Japanese.

The kelp forest off from the San Diego coast and the Chanel islands is a safe haven for marine mammals, fish, and coral. To swim through and photograph the California Kelp forest is truly a wonder to behold, with literally millions of different types of sea life.

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