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Whale shark kissing Markus’ dome port in Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia

There are certain traits we inherit from our parents that we’d rather not have—male pattern baldness, ADHD, or bad teeth just to name a few. A love for photography is not one of them.

Growing up as the son of German sports photographer Hans-Alfred Roth, Markus Roth had early exposure to the charm of the camera. Although his father found fame through images of Olympians and speed bikers, Markus developed an interest in whale sharks, sailfish and other marine wonders.
 

A pair of Coleman shrimps at Rhino City, Ambon, Indonesia
 

Wobbegong shark from Mios Kon Dampier Strait, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
 

Hunting sailfish in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Markus is a rare breed of photographer that chases the destination, rather than the subject. His obsession to be one of the first divers on a reef has taken him to extremely remote locales such as Indonesia’s Cenderawasih, Triton or Weda Bay. “For me it is a privilege to be underwater and to be allowed to admire Nature in its full force,” explains Markus. “I especially love Indonesia and West Papua, because of the extraordinary biodiversity.”

Among his most memorable experiences, Markus was one of the first underwater photographers to capture the now-famous whale sharks of West Papua’s Cenderawasih Bay. He came home from the trip not only with amazing images, but a dive site named after his unborn daughter: “Anouk’s Dream.”
 

Threesome: Three whale sharks from Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia
 

Rhinopias frondosa from North Sulawesi, Indonesia
 

Juvenile whitetip sharks hiding under a table coral in North Sulawesi, Indonesia
 

Bargibant’s seahorse from Weda Bay, Maluku Islands, Indonesia
 

Reef scenery from Triton Bay, West Papua
 

Boxer crab with eggs from Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

Decorator crab from Triton Bay, Indonesia
 

Markus and his new best friend

For more of Markus’ impressive portfolio, check out his website.