“As I sort of connect the dots and spend time with these animals … things are revealed to me.” —Brian Skerry

Brian Skerry wants to “make pictures that will stay with people for a lifetime.” It is this desire, and his sense of duty to protect the planet for the next generation, that has led Skerry to the world of underwater photography. Skerry started scuba diving at the age of 15 and found his love for underwater photography and exploration shortly after. He has been revealing the mysteries of the underwater world for three decades and has completed 20 stories for National Geographic magazine over the last 15 years. —Mika Chance, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This video portrait was produced by National Geographic magazine in partnership with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. It is part of an ongoing series of conversations with the photographers of the magazine, exploring the power of photography and why this life of imagemaking suits them so well. Learn more about the making of the series and watch the full trailer here.

Follow Brian Skerry on his website.

Video Production Credits
Photographer: Brian Skerry
Producers: Pamela Chen, NGM
Chad A. Stevens, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Associate Producer: Elyse Lipman, NGM
Editors: Mika Chance, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Camera and Sound: Spencer Millsap, NGM, Shannon Sanders, NGM