“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