Mystique Of The Deep: Ridgefield Library Showcases 'Octopus Portraits'

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Library will be releasing the kraken, or at least photos of his much smaller cousins, throughout the month of February.

Photographer Jeff Eyrich will be exhibiting "Octopus Portraits" at the library. The pictures were taken during a trip to the island of Patmos last fall from Feb. 1 through 29.

The island is a little over 13 square miles, off the coast of Turkey, and most famous as the spot where John the Elder wrote the Book of Revelation. As such, it's become popular with religious pilgrims.

But Eyrich has been traveling to Patmos annually for the past 40 years for reasons that are more bucolic than biblical:

"To rest, relax, to chase the summer, and to reconnect with my soul, as my mother used to say," he explained. "I spend most of my days on Patmos out in my small boat. I like to find a good spot to free dive and photograph the world I find under Patmos. My tools are my fins, my mask and snorkel, and my waterproof camera."

Eyrich, a professional musician and music producer, has only been snapping photographs for about six years, and just about all of those have been underwater, and of octopuses. He says he now spends just about his entire annual trip to Patmos photographing the shy creatures, in and around their underwater homes.

As a cephalopod, the octopus should exhibit little or no intelligence, but Eyrich begs to differ.

"My experience with the octopus is that they're very intelligent. They're very curious," he told Patch. "I almost feel as though once they do come out, and I can start taking pictures of them, they're giving me a little tour of their neighborhood."

For a creature as solitary as the octopus to exhibit such fellowship is extraordinary.

"So, when you have this interaction, this one-on-one interaction, it's memorable. I guess you could compare it to meeting a dog on the street that all of a sudden just kind of falls in love with you," said Eyrich, a Tuckahoe, NY, resident.

Regardless of the other side's empathy and intelligence level, Eyrich said that humans should learn to respect all life. He calls his experiences with the tentacled creatures, "by far the most interesting, emotionally rewarding and unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had."

The Ridgefield Library exhibit opens Feb. 3 and runs through the end of the month. There will be an artist "Meet & Greet" on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2:00 p.m.