Articles

A hunting striped marlin eyes a baitball in the rich waters of Baja, Mexico
 

Our latest DPG Photographer of the Week is an Australian underwater photographer and filmmaker, environmental scientist, freedive instructor, and trip leader who is passionate about bringing people closer—literally and figuratively—to the ocean’s biggest and most charismatic animals. Armed with his DSLR and RED camera systems, he has spent thousands of hours in the water capturing everything from sharks and marlin to sea lions and whales. His adventures have taken him from the famous reefs of his home country to the world’s big-animal hotspots, including Mexico, the Azores, Kenya, the Maldives, Indonesia, Fiji and Tonga.

But Jono doesn’t only interact with the planet’s marine megafauna with a tank on his back. For him, the experience of exploring the underwater world on a single breath was life changing. It led to countless hours honing his freediving capabilities as well as a commitment to professional training that now allows him to pass these skills onto others. As a leader of expeditions specifically aimed at creating face-to-face encounters, he is passionate about developing the ability to interact with marine life safely and respectfully.

Having witnessed firsthand the negative impacts of human activity on the lives of his beloved big animals, Jono is deeply committed to protecting our oceans. After helping to rescue an entangled whale shark in the Maldives, he co-founded the Fuvahmulah Marine Foundation to address plastic pollution and wildlife entanglement on the island. He is also co-founder of the Miyaru Programme, a Maldivian non-profit organization bringing together scientists, conservationists, and community members to study, document, and protect the shark populations of the Maldives and surrounding waters.
 

Māhina, the all-white humpback whale of Vava’u, Tonga, rests gently on the rostrum of her supportive mother
 

Sleeping juvenile sperm whales perfectly suspended in the shallows next to a graceful synchronized swimmer
 

An adult humpback whales makes striking bubble trails with its enormous pectoral fins
 

A leopard shark shows off its striking aesthetic in the deep at Nguthungulli, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
 

Hunting amidst the chaos, California sea lions herd up the baitballs in a feeding frenzy
 

Sky shark: A single blacktip reef shark cruises the blue water shallows of the Maldives
 

A humpback finally reaches the breeding grounds of Vava’u Tonga, where lush green islands and crystal-blue waters meet
 

Two remoras hold on tight to a sperm whale fluke before it begins its deep descent into the abyss
 

The largest fish in the ocean approaches head on in the blue waters of Tonga
 

While the adults deep below hunt for the next meal, day care with the playful calves and juveniles commences at the surface
 

A large pod of melon-headed whales bow ride a dhoni in the Madlives as together they all head out to search for their next meal
 

Every so often, curious whales will give us the chance to exchange deep eye contact, an experience that leaves you speechless
 

In the waters of the Maldives, a solitary oceanic whitetip searches for its next meal
 

A playful humpback whale calf breaks the surface and catches the morning light
 

For more of Jono’s breathtaking big-animal photography, check out his website, www.jonoallen.com, and give him a follow on Instagram.