Photographer Details
JillAnne Ward McCarty United States
Passionate to raise awareness of our incredible undersea world, I hope with my images to inspire awe and global efforts to protect our miraculous marine ecosystem. Raised in Santa Barbara, California, USA, I remember the joy of discovery exploring tidepools as a child. Photography and SCUBA have been long-held interests – I was certified by NAUI as a teenager and took my first photography and marine biology courses at the same time. After a diving hiatus while I raised a family and practiced medicine, I was able to resume diving in earnest and began shooting in 2012. Even with those first images, I was hooked. My photography skills have progressed with lots of practice, underwater photography workshops, and travel expeditions. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to dive and photograph undersea wonders all over the world. Each location offers its own unique habitat and animals, making photography feel like a delightful treasure hunt. It has been an honor to be awarded in international photography competitions. I love the idea that “you never know what you’ll find” on a dive. I enjoy making portraits of animals that may be unfamiliar to non-divers, composing them in their natural habitats. I try to compel the viewer with nature’s beauty and to reveal a little of each animal’s personality.
Passionate to raise awareness of our incredible undersea world, I hope with my images to inspire awe and global efforts to protect our miraculous marine ecosystem. Raised in Santa Barbara, California, USA, I remember the joy of discovery exploring tidepools as a child. Photography and SCUBA have been long-held interests – I was certified by NAUI as a teenager and took my first photography and marine biology courses at the same time. After a diving hiatus while I raised a family and practiced medicine, I was able to resume diving in earnest and began shooting in 2012. Even with those first images, I was hooked. My photography skills have progressed with lots of practice, underwater photography workshops, and travel expeditions. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to dive and photograph undersea wonders all over the world. Each location offers its own unique habitat and animals, making photography feel like a delightful treasure hunt. It has been an honor to be awarded in international photography competitions. I love the idea that “you never know what you’ll find” on a dive. I enjoy making portraits of animals that may be unfamiliar to non-divers, composing them in their natural habitats. I try to compel the viewer with nature’s beauty and to reveal a little of each animal’s personality.
WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS
