Food & Drink: Catch of the day

Five photographers, one brief: to find and capture the sea creature of their dreams

Five photographers, one brief: to find and capture the sea creature of their dreams

Octopus Vulgaris Kevin Summers

`Lots of people have taken photographs of fish, but not many have taken a picture of an octopus. It is usually seen as quite ugly and scary so I wanted to show that there was another side to the creature. I think the photograph shows its wonderful form while still showing its dangerous side'

Rock Hind

Epinephelus Adscensionis Patrice de Villiers

`It was all curiosity, really, and the allure of its frozen body. I had never seen this particular variety of fish and its red spots were really unusual, so I asked the fishmonger to retrieve it from a heap of frosty fellow specimens. It seemed to have been frozen mid-swim, which gave it a sculptural quality. The thin crust of ice coating was a lucky bonus'

Squid Illex Coindeti Simon McCann

`It really is an amazing creature. I placed a very small but bright spotlight under the fish which brought out some qualities that surprised me. The light showed that its fins were really translucent, while the body is a lot thicker. I think the photograph shows what the squid is really m ade of. It is like some ethereal jelly mould'

Swimming Crab Portunus Pelagicus Fleur Olby

`I didn't want to photograph something that was instantly recognisable. I think this makes you look twice because the claw is so in your face, it literally jumps off the page. I dissected the crab because I wanted to show, from the inside out, how it has movement. Because you are forced to look closely at the claws you can see their beautiful texture and wonderful colour. The blue reminded me of pastel make-up'

Turbot Scophthalmus Maximus Tim O'Sullivan

`Fish bones are beautiful. They are so delicate and intricate. I always wanted to know what a fish would look like under an x-ray, so I suppose this photograph is an exercise in pure curiosity. There is no mystery about the picture. A fish is a fish and this is a fish laid bare. It is so beautiful I'm going to put it on my living room wall'