Photograph by Brian Skerry
Photograph by Brian Skerry
“To make great pictures, a photographer must observe and truly see … Over time I learned that the real value is in being patient, slowing down, and watching the world around me.” —Brian Skerry
Growing up in a small, working-class town, Brian Skerry dreamed of exploring the oceans and becoming a National Geographic photographer. Today, Skerry is one of the leading underwater photographers in the world.
Since 1998, Skerry has covered a wide range of stories for National Geographic documenting the harp seal’s struggle to survive in frozen waters, the alarming decrease in the world’s fisheries, the planet’s last remaining pristine coral reefs, the plight of the right whale, and threatened sharks in the Bahamas, to name a few. His images celebrate the mystery of the depths, and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes appear to have been shot in a studio. Skerry dives eight months of the year, often in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects. He has emerged as a leading voice for marine conservation.
In 2011, National Geographic Books published Ocean Soul, a landmark retrospective of Skerry’s photographs.
Skerry’s powerful presentations showcase award-winning imagery and thrilling wildlife encounters, inspire reverence for the marine realm, and offer hope for protecting the vitality of the world’s oceans.
Popular Presentations
Ocean Soul
In the last 50 years, 90 percent of the big fish in the ocean have disappeared. Over 100 million sharks are taken annually and species of whales and sea turtles are on the brink of extinction. In his trademark presentation, Skerry showcases his stunning photography and describes his adventurous life in a gripping portrait of the ocean as a place of beauty and mystery, a place in trouble, and ultimately, a place of hope that will rebound with the proper attention and care.
A Day at the Office
For Skerry, a day at the office might mean watching his boat sink, being nipped by sharks, getting chased by a sperm whale, or tangling with giant squid. The keys to success in the business of ocean exploration and wildlife photography are disciplines that translate to any business: setting goals, managing risks, working with team members of varying skill levels and backgrounds, and solving problems on the fly. Dive into a day in the life of an underwater photographer as he explores some universal business challenges.
Learn More About Brian
National Geographic Photographer Profile
Brian Skerry’s Website
Testimonials
"Brian Skerry presented to a very diverse Honeywell audience and had everyone entranced with his underwater photography and stories of getting the perfect picture for National Geographic. He adds humor to his stories and his photos are incredible. It’s hard to find a speaker who will resonate to an audience from around the world but Brian was able to do just that!" —Jeannie Tackman, Honeywell
Listen to Radio Interview With Brian Skerry
Boyd Matson Interviews Brian for NG Weekend radio show
See stunning photographs from Brian Skerry.
Brian shares the story of a magical encounter with a population of right whales that had probably never seen humans underwater.
Brian shares the intimate familial bonds of manatees, thought of by some early mariners as mermaids.
With about 24,000 teeth, the Humboldt squid is, in Brian’s own words, “probably the scariest animal that I’ve ever encountered in the ocean.”
Brian Skerry has spent 30 years photographing underwater worlds, driven to share both the magic and horrors to be found at sea. In his TED talk he shares highlights from his work for National Geographic.
Central America’s Mesoamerican Reef is half the length of its famous Australian counterpart but in many ways more remarkable.
Hundreds of thousands of seamounts rise from Earth’s ocean floor. Life has been explored on barely 300.
After a rare bleaching disaster, the reefs of the Phoenix Islands bounce back.
The waters off the coast vary from frigid to temperate to tropical. The marine life is uniformly extraordinary.
The biggest, deepest-diving, widest-ranging of all turtles, the leatherback has endured for 100 million years.
On the brink, on the rebound.
A rare, pristine reef turns out to be a landscape of fear, where predatory fishes reign and their prey is in hiding.
Sharks are in decline worldwide, yet they abound in the Bahamas. What makes this blue-water archipelago a sanctuary?
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