Underwater photos

Blue whale underwater photo showing entire whale head (rostrum) to tail (fluke). This picture of a blue whale shows it swimming through the open ocean, a rare underwater view. Specialized underwater camera gear, including an extremely wide lens, was used to capture the entire enormous whale in a single photograph.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: California
Image ID: 27300  

A great white shark swims underwater through the ocean at Guadalupe Island.
Species: Great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 21347  

Blue shark underneath drift kelp, open ocean.
Species: Blue shark, Prionace glauca
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 01006  

A blue shark swims through the open ocean in search of prey, backlit by the sunset.
Species: Blue shark, Prionace glauca
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 02286  

Caribbean reef shark, ampullae of Lorenzini visible on snout.
Species: Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi
Location: Bahamas
Image ID: 10550  

Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Species: Australian Sea Lion, Neophoca cinearea
Location: Grindal Island, South Australia
Image ID: 39156  

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents.
Species: Gorgonian, Gorgonacea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34707  

Adams River sockeye salmon. A female sockeye salmon swims upstream in the Adams River to spawn, having traveled hundreds of miles upstream from the ocean.
Species: Sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka
Location: Adams River, Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
Image ID: 26161  

The bright orange garibaldi fish, California's state marine fish, is also clownlike in appearance.
Species: Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: California
Image ID: 02416  

Tiger shark.
Species: Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier
Location: Bahamas
Image ID: 10648  

Australian Sea Lions in Kelp, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Species: Australian Sea Lion, Neophoca cinearea
Location: Grindal Island, South Australia
Image ID: 39163  

Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Species: Australian Sea Lion, Neophoca cinearea
Location: Grindal Island, South Australia
Image ID: 39164  

Brilliantlly colorful coral reef, with swarms of anthias fishes and soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Bligh Waters, Fiji
Image ID: 34708  

Closeup view of colorful dendronephthya soft corals, reaching out into strong ocean currents to capture passing planktonic food, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Bligh Waters, Fiji
Image ID: 34713  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34715  

A beautiful golden-brown female California Sea Lion at the Coronado Islands, posing on a carpet of purple marine algae, Baja California, Mexico.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 38559  

Blue whales, adult and juvenile (likely mother and calf), swimming together side by side underwater in the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 34568  

Sunset light and acropora table coral on pristine tropical reef. Table coral competes for space on the coral reef by growing above and spreading over other coral species keeping them from receiving sunlight.
Location: Wakaya Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31315  

Blue whales feeding on krill underwater closeup photo. A picture of a blue whale with its throat pleats inflated with a mouthful of krill. A calf swims behind and below the adult. Over 80' long and just a few feet from the camera, an extremely wide lens was used to photograph the entire enormous whale.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: California
Image ID: 27314  

Galapagos penguin, underwater, swimming. Bartolome Island.
Species: Galapagos penguin, Spheniscus mendiculus
Location: Bartolome Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16234  

California sea lion and diver consider each other, underwater in the clear ocean water of Guadalupe Island.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 02251  

A northern elephant seal hovers underwater over a rocky bottom along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03505  

Closeup view of colorful dendronephthya soft corals, reaching out into strong ocean currents to capture passing planktonic food, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34709  

Crinoid (feather star) extends its tentacles into ocean currents, on pristine south pacific coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Crinoid feather star, Crinoidea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34710  

Leather coral, Sinularia sp., Fiji.
Species: Sinularia soft coral, Sinularia
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34711  

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents.
Species: Gorgonian, Gorgonacea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34712  

Spectacular display of pristine cabbage coral, Turbinaria reniformis, in Nigali Pass on Gao Island, Fiji.
Species: Cabbage coral, Turbinaria reniformis
Location: Nigali Passage, Gau Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 34714  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34716  

Brilliantlly colorful coral reef, with swarms of anthias fishes and soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34717  

Colorful Chironephthya soft coral coloniea in Fiji, hanging off wall, resembling sea fans or gorgonians.
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34718