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Striped dolphins cruise through spectacularly blue waters in the Mediterranean Sea, France

It is a common story - the non-photographer becomes a diver and all of a sudden that diver becomes a photographer upon witnessing the spectacular abundance of life the marine world has to offer. This week DPG features Emmanuel Vaillant. Emmanuel became certified as a child and a few years later his underwater photography journey began with a compact camera—a Canon Ixus 750 and a dedicated housing. He simply wanted to document his underwater explorations and has since developed a wonderful passion for photography beneath the waves.

As many of us can relate to, financial constraints during his early diving years meant Emmanuel had to take a hiatus from diving but he never gave up on photography. While not underwater he turned to wildlife and landscape photography. Those pursuits aided him with regards to his underwater shooting when he was able to pick it up again in the last several years.

Now able to be back underwater more regularly, Emmanuel's love for diving has been rekindled and his underwater photography gear has been upgraded. While he doesn't dive as frequently as he would like (who does, really?), he does several trips every year and has accumulated valuable experience behind the camera. Emmanuel says he is constantly striving to enhance his skills to deliver images that capture the beauty and diversity of the underwater world.

Wonderful coral growth surrounded by reef fish on the Liberty Wreck, Bali, Indonesia

The much loved 'donut' nudibranch, Bali, Indonesia

A backlit spiny seahorse, illuminated by snoot, Bali, Indonesia

A juvenile lionfish devouring an unfortunate little shrimp, Bali, Indonesia

The blue-ring's slightly less flashy cousin, the mototi octopus, Bali, Indonesia

A beautiful pair of skunk anemonefish, huddled in their host, Bali, Indonesia

A ghost goby protectively guarding a clutch of eggs, Bali, Indonesia

A pair of southern stingrays on the hunt for food in the sand flats, Tobago Cays, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

A classic macro subject, a peacock mantis shrimp carrying eggs, Bali, Indonesia

Some leaffish are stunningly colored like theis pink individual from Bali, Indonesia

The sand flats of Tobago Cays are home to a healthy population of green turtles, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

A wonderfully healthy reefscape, Bali, Indonesia

To see more of Emmanuel's work, please give him a follow on Instagram.