SOCKEYE SALMON 2: Sun-dappled Courtship

Every four years, there is a big Sockeye Salmon run on the Adams River in British Columbia, which is followed by three years of much smaller runs. I took this photograph in 2010, a banner year when the run was the biggest in 100 years. Scientists think that a volcanic eruption in Alaska fertilized the ocean habitat of the salmon, which allowed their food–zooplankton–to thrive, resulting in strong and powerful salmon.

I photographed for four days, and got some of the best photographs of my life. To see a spectacular event like this one is simply astounding!

This photograph shows a male and female pair staking out a territory in the stream. The male is the one with the humped back and hooked jaw.

LIMITED EDITION: This photographic print is part of a limited edition produced by photographer Lee Rentz. The edition consists of 250 prints, which includes all sizes and methods of printing.