In spite of some criticism of the typography (‘slapdash’), this book is an instant classic. Whoever would have thought that the grey-green waters of Zeeland could conceal such an enchanting world of colour and life that it makes us shake our heads in disbelief? Nevertheless, photographer Elspeth Diederix stresses in the book that ‘what you see is actually there’. From the blacker than black pages, with black edges, a black cover and black endpapers, underwater images loom up reminiscent of the magnificent seventeenth-century still lifes of Pieter Claesz. or Floris van Dyck – except that here, the oysters, shells, sponges and sea anemones are very much alive. ‘Nature vivante’ rather than ‘nature morte’. The choice for such deep black all round is crucial to the experience of the stunning colours and intoxicating atmosphere of the photos – this is what makes the book, along with the decision to use ‘enhanced CMYK to make the colours even more powerful. The result, as stated above, is an instant classic. A book that gets down to business straight away on its cover: an underwater still life the like of which you have never seen before, looming up out of the black, framed in black, without typography. It is followed by many more, and except for the brief essay and documentation at the back, the book needs nothing else. Leaf through and enjoy, marvel, wonder.