Articles

A trumpetfish stretches its jaws in preparation for a future meal, Florida, USA
 

Hailing from a small town in Germany, our newest DPG Photographer of the Week, Janina Cooper, grew up fascinated with all realms aquatic. Whether it was the ocean, a lake, or a small stream, she loved them all. Janina credits her father with fostering her interest and remembers him taking her and her brother out to look for amphibians in wetlands or snorkeling on family trips to the Mediterranean, Baltic, and North Seas.

However, it wasn’t until 2019 that Janina got certified after moving to Washington State—a fantastic place for diving and home to an incredible abundance and diversity of underwater life. As many a diver can relate to, immediately upon being exposed to the marine realm, Janina decided she wanted to start making pictures of what she was seeing. The start of 2023 is when Janina finally took her first camera underwater, and she says it opened up a whole new world to her, nothing less than a life-changing experience. Since then, except for training dives, she is never without her camera.

Now located in Mississippi, Janina and her husband drive to the Florida Panhandle when time allows to dive as much as they can. Her favorite subjects are… everything! Whether it be sharks, manatees, frogfish, or nudibranchs, Janina doesn’t discriminate when it comes to subject matter underwater. She says her biggest hope is that by creating compelling underwater imagery, she might help people to see the beauty and uniqueness of the big blue world, to inspire love for all the exceptional life forms, and to show that our world is so deserving of our protection. We need it far more than it needs us.
 

A red-gilled nudibranch surfs a kelp frond, Washington, USA
 

A pair of wolf eels, sporting among the most fantastic of all fish faces, shelter in their den, Washington, USA
 

Hidden amongst plumose anemones is a young decorated warbonnet, Washington, USA
 

A colorful tidal scene featuring urchins, surfgrass, limpets, and a green anemone, Washington, USA
 

The sinuous shape of a lemon shark as seen from above, Florida, USA
 

Can a shark be called cute? This spiny dogfish is certainly making a great case for it, Washington, USA
 

An abundance of freshwater life in a beautiful spring-fed river, Florida, USA
 

Looking very much unlike its benthic counterparts, a pelagic nudibranch drifts through the open ocean on a blackwater dive, Florida, USA
 

The mesmerizing eyes and colors of an adorable stubby squid, Washington, USA
 

Spectacular sunbeams illuminate the gnarled remains of cypress trees, Florida, USA
 

Face to face with a large ocellated frogfish, Florida, USA
 

A diver observes a stunning male rock greenling, Washington, USA
 

To see more of Janina’s work, please give her a follow on Instagram.