Helmut Debelius has changed everything. His new Red Sea fish guide proudly displays our tunnel-dwelling friend in all its glory. And I can picture their horror as Debelius' long lens zooms in on the hapless cucumber's sensitive parts. I guess it is his continental pedigree. Unfettered by our English restraint, these Continentals will try anything.
Many photographers push the boundaries of decency, but none more so than macro photographers.
As I understand it, parasites are their favourite subject. The sea might be full of swirling clouds of colourful fish and statuesque corals, but no, they would rather photograph some nasty parasitic shrimp picking away at its host's sensitive membranes. I have a nicely framed shot of a red shrimp hanging out of the gills of a Spanish dancer. Hanging out of its gills how personal can you get. If there is alien life, I suspect it is just as fascinated by our parasites as we are by those of the animals that surround us.