About Us

Hawaii is seriously amazing – you’ve got everything from volcanoes to rainforests to those perfect beaches everyone dreams about. It’s like nature went all out and put all the best stuff in one place.

Beneath the surface, Hawaii’s true enchantment unfolds. The islands’ unique underwater topography features stunning lava formations, majestic arches, and hidden caves, creating a fascinating backdrop for marine life. Here, you’ll encounter gentle green sea turtles, elusive monk seals, and endemic fish species, making each dive a thrilling discovery.

You know how some places just feel special? That’s Hawaii. It’s not just another pretty beach destination – there’s this energy that makes you feel alive. Between the incredible scenery and the whole aloha vibe, you can’t help but feel connected to everything around you.

From the Amazon jungles of Ecuador to the pristine coral reefs and diverse marine life of Indonesia, my travels have been filled with adventure, intrigue, and unforgettable experiences.  A partial list of places I’ve explored:

• Africa – Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• Australia – Lord Howe Island, Lady Eliot Island, Sydney
• Canada – Vancouver Island, Whistler, British Columbia
• Caribbean Islands – Aruba, Bonaire, Turks & Caicos, Guanaja
• Ecuador – Galapagos Islands, Amazon rainforest (Providencia)
• Indonesia – Bali, Manado, Raja Ampat, Lembeh Island, Bangka Island
• Japan – Hakone, Kyoto, Takasaki
• Mexico – Socorro (Revillagigedo) Islands, Cozumel, Tulum, Yucatan
• Pacific Islands – Hawaii, Fiji, Palau, Kiritimati
• Philippines – Anilao, Dumaguete, Malapascua, Puerto Galera, Palawan, Subic Bay, Tubbataha
• Singapore – Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
• Thailand – Similan Islands, Railay

Destinations of interest:

• Alaska
• Australian outback
• Canadian Rocky Mountains
• Sea of Cortez
• Costa Rica
• Faroe Islands
• Islas Marías (Las Tres Marías)
• Lake Baikal
• New Zealand & Tasmania
• Papua New Guinea
• Patagonia
• Solomon Islands
• Tahiti & French Polynesia

meet me

David

Welcome to my wild corner of the internet!  I believe that nature has a way of connecting us all, and I hope my images inspire you to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

Photos in Publications, Exhibits, Websites:

Uropterygius polyspilus appears in publication: Bensted-Smith, William & Keith, Inti & Grove, Jack & Banks, Stuart. (2023). New record of Azurina intercrusma (Evermann & Radcliffe, 1917) (Ovalentaria incertae sedis, Pomacentridae) and confirmation of Scuticaria tigrina (Lesson, 1828) (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) in the Galápagos Islands. Check List. 19. 611-620. 10.15560/19.5.611.

Cirripectes matatakaro sp. appears in publication: Hoban ML, Williams JT. 2020. Cirripectes matatakaro, a new species of combtooth blenny from the Central Pacific, illuminates the origins of the Hawaiian fish fauna. PeerJ 8:e8852 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8852

Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus), Goldline squirrelfish (Neoniphon aurolineatus), Dusky Butterflyfish (Chaetodon flavirostris), Orange Goatfish (Mulloidichthys pfluegeri), appears in Fiji Reef Fish by Mark Rosenstein (2019) ISBN-10‏: ‎1732499217

Various species (36 photos) appear in Indo Pacific Corals by Joe Rowlett (2020) ISBN: 9798686565975

Alcyonacea soft coral displayed in Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – Portraits of Planet Ocean exhibit (2015)

Appears in Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute online information system:

Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean: Acanthurus pyroferus, Chilomycterus reticulatus, Decapterus macarellus, Diodon holocanthus, Diodon hystrix, Heniochus diphreutes, Naso lituratus, Pomacanthus semicirculatus, Pomacanthus xanthometopon, Sarotherodon melanotheron, Zanclus cornutus, Zebrasoma flavescens

Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific: Acanthurus pyroferus, Dascyllus aruanus, Diodon holocanthus, Heniochus diphreutes, Naso lituratus, Pomacanthus semicirculatus, Pomacanthus xanthometopon, Zebrasoma flavescens

Appears in Sous les Mers (Under the Sea):  Cerianthus filiformis, Ophiolepis superba, Pseudobiceros gloriosus, Ecsenius namiyei, Sargocentron tiere, Chaetodon flavirostris, Cantherhines fronticinctus, Seriola lalandi, Plectorhinchus picus, Epinephelus fasciatus, Scuticaria tigrina, Triaenodon obesus, Parupeneus multifasciatus