Articles

A green turtle cruises beneath Snell's window, Roatan, Honduras

From a young age, Stephanie Doniger was drawn to the water. After earning her Open Water and Divemaster certifications, what began as casual documentation of the underwater world with a compact camera turned into a passion for underwater photography after a transformative dive with photographer Shawn Jackson. Determined to improve, she trained with Francesca Diaco and attended workshops with Alex Mustard, steadily gaining skills and recognition. Her work has since been featured in the Roatan Marine Park calendar and competitions like Ocean Art and BSoUP.

Her medical career in pediatric emergency medicine has run parallel to her diving life. Volunteering at a hospital in Roatan allowed her to combine both passions, and she’s now pursuing a Diploma in Marine and Diving Medicine. Diving provides a necessary outlet from the stress of emergency care—a place where Stephanie finds calm in chaos.

A breast cancer diagnosis during the COVID pandemic threatened her ability to return to the water, but guidance from Dive into the Pink’s Allison Vitsky Sallmon gave her hope. She ultimately made it back to diving, and powerful moments underwater confirmed her recovery. Today, her life revolves less around professional accolades and more around planning her next underwater photography adventure.

An anemone and its anemonefish in the afternoon sun, Red Sea, Egypt

A great barracuda cuts through a school of bigeye scad, Roatan, Honduras

A pair of yellow seahorses, in both common name and color, perform a courtship dance, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

A massive stingray rests on the sandy bottom beneath beautiful afternoon light rays, Maldives

A young green turtle heads to the surface for a breath in the Misool Marine Reserve, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

A great barracuda bides its time, waiting to snatch an unsuspecting fish, Roatan, Honduras

A small pod of spinner dolphins frolic near the surface, Red Sea, Egypt

A giant frogfish lurks among a pile of old ropes, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

A nurse shark cruises beneath a 'donhi' snorkel tour boat, Maldives

The spectacular colors of a juvenile pinnate batfish, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

A Caribbean reef shark shadowing bar jacks at Tiger Beach, Grand Bahama, Bahamas

A quartet of mantas perform a beautiful dance while dining on plankton at night, Maldives

To see more of Stephanie's wonderful work, please give her a follow on Instagram.