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
Dive deep into the world’s oceans with one of National Geographic’s most seasoned photographers. Watch as Brian Skerry’s images illuminate the vast, hidden world beneath the waves. Brian has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater using his camera to tell the story of some of the ocean’s most elusive inhabitants. His mission: to enlighten and inspire people to care about the beauty, bounty, and health of the world’s oceans.
Voyage across the oceans with one of National Geographic’s most seasoned photographers and discover a vast, hidden world beneath the waves. 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.
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Blacktip sharks, bluefin trevallies, and twinspot snappers (foreground)—ever watchful for a potential meal—throng a shallow passage to the lagoon of Millennium Island. Top predators like these are a defining feature of the world’s healthiest coral reefs.
Photograph by Brian Skerry
Before each feeding, a mother sniffs her pup to be sure she is feeding only her pup. This is called the "Harp Seal Kiss".
Photograph by Brian Skerry
Far from busy ship lanes, a 40-foot southern right whale swims in safety near the remote Auckland Islands.
Photograph by Brian Skerry
Spotted dolphins swim off the northern Bahamas, where the waters are exceptionally clear. Three generations of these social animals—300 individuals over 30 years—have been the subject of the longest-running underwater dolphin study in the world.
Photograph by Brian Skerry
Marine biologists have learned that a healthy coral reef is not one with swirling clouds of colored fish, but one where predators dominate and prey keep hidden—as at Millennium Island, where a gray reef shark patrols seemingly empty waters.
Photograph by Brian Skerry
A loggerhead turtle grazes. Sea grass is not the typical meal for the primarily carnivorous species, which feeds on jellyfish, crabs, and conchs.
Photograph by Brian Skerry
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