Articles

A famous fish on dinner plates, the Pacific halibut is much more infrequently seen in its natural habitat, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

We have featured no shortage of Monterey Bay-based photographers here at DPG and Kameron Strickland is the newest shooter to be added to that list! Kameron discovered scuba diving during college and what began as a curiosity quickly developed into a long-term passion for both diving and underwater photography. Kameron initially gained experience through scientific diving, building valuable skills and confidence underwater while working in challenging marine environments. After saving for a first underwater camera, photography became an integral part of every dive.

Nearly a thousand dives later, Kameron continues to explore and photograph the waters of Monterey Bay, a region renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and iconic kelp forests. His feature here was shot (almost) exclusively in Monterey. Over the years, extensive time underwater has provided opportunities to observe and capture a wide variety of marine life, from invertebrates and fish to larger ocean species that inhabit California’s coastal ecosystems.

Kameron’s preferred style of underwater photography is wide-angle imaging, a technically demanding discipline that often requires getting close to subjects while maintaining awareness of composition, lighting, and environmental conditions. This approach is especially challenging in the cold-water environments of the Pacific Coast, where visibility, currents, and temperature can add complexity to every dive. Despite these challenges, wide-angle photography offers the ability to showcase the scale and beauty of underwater landscapes, creating images that highlight the relationship between marine life and its environment.
 

The painful, albeit colorful end of an egg-yolk jellyfish, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

Anemones and sea stars share space on a rock outcrop, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A close-up look at an opalescent nudibranch, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A variety of echinoderms cover just about every inch of exposed rock under the kelp, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

Blue rockfish school together beneath the kelp canopy, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A single blue rockfish stands sentinel next to a towering kelp stand, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A slow-shutter abstract kelp images gives a very painterly aesthetic, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

The sun casts ethereal light down onto the rocks beneath the kelp, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

An opalescent nudibranch makes its was along a seagrass frond, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

With all the shapes, kelp forests are fantastic places for ambient light black and white photography, , Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

An opalescent squid demonstrating how it got that name, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A female paper nautilus hitches a ride on a discarded rope, Hawaii, USA
 

A cetacean skeleton, most likely a dolphin that has come to rest at the edge of the kelp, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

A rare sight at diving depths in Monterey, the spotted ratfish is a amazing find, Monterey Bay, California, USA
 

To see more of Kameron’s wildlife work, above and below the waves, please give him a follow on Instagram.