Photo of relaxed, sunbathing seal near Staten Island receives special attention and praise

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With its head resting against its flipper, a relaxed seal absorbed some sunshine on an August day while resting on a rock off the South Shore of Staten Island.

Todt Hill resident Kawing Chiu, a wildlife photographer and real estate agent, snapped a photograph of the calm creature by Mount Loretto Unique Area in Pleasant Plains. The photo shows the seal in a state of nirvana: It even appears to be smiling.

Smithsonian Magazine shared the image on its Facebook page on Aug. 24. More than 6,000 people reacted to the photograph. The image was shared more than 1,300 times.

“What a great photo!!” wrote one commenter.

“Venus of Urbino,” said another person, comparing the seal’s pose to the 16th century painting by Titian. (Google it for yourself, please.)

Another Facebook user praised Chiu’s Staten Island photography: “Kawing is an amazing photographer. Would love to see more of his Staten Island wildlife photos published.”

Chiu told the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com his passion for wildlife photography became more serious during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been traveling all over, particularly in Staten Island, to capture the wildlife photos, especially [focusing] on the birds,” he said on Sunday.

Chiu has photographed landscapes for about 15 years.

When Smithsonian shared his photograph, the Staten Islander called it a complete surprise.

“I’m grateful that many people appreciate my photography,” he said.