This lobster, hiding in the debris of the SS Manchester Merchant, was not coming out to play, no matter how long I lay there and waited.

The space was too confined to get any closer with the strobes attached to my camera, so I decided to fold them back, sacrificing light for access.

As I pushed my camera down into the hole, the lobster at first held its ground, then backed off just a little. I backed off slightly too, which seemed to draw it back toward me again.

Suddenly and without warning, bang! Two massive claws lunged out at me. I’m sure I heard chitin on glass as lobster and camera briefly sparred for territory.

After that, the lobster backed off, held its ground, and there it remained until I left.

Lobsters are normally very timid creatures. This time, however, I assume the behaviour was aimed not at me, but at some brutish competitor reflected back from the camera’s lens.