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A beautiful neon goby perched on a coral head, Barbados
 

From the Red Sea, to Indonesia, to the Galápagos—and just about everywhere in between—our latest Photographer of the Week Catherine Holmes has been underwater in almost every corner of the globe. She spent her early life close to the sea in Australia before relocating to England, where she currently resides and works as a dental surgeon.

As both an underwater photographer and a watercolor artist, Catherine hopes that through her imagery she inspires people to nuture and protect our fragile marine ecosystems. With regards to her watercolor work, she describes herself as a “colorist” and this shines through in her photographic work as well. Her images are nothing if not bright, vibrant, and full of color! Her variety of techniques and use of light also lend themselves to creating a rather painterly aesthetic in many of her pictures.

A member of the British Society of Underwater Photographers, Catherine has won awards in numerous international competitions, including Underwater Photographer of the Year, Siena International Photo Awards, Ocean Art Competition, Ocean Geographic Competition, WildArt Photographer of the Year, and the World Shootout. After her first place in the conservation category of the Ocean Art competition—with an image showing efforts to rebuild reefs in Barbados—Catherine was invited to be an honorary member of CORALL, a Barbados coral restoration project. Catherine’s imagery and articles have been widely published in underwater magazines. She says: “I am always at my happiest underwater, a place of beauty, calm and silence—perhaps I was always meant to be a mermaid.”
 

Banggai cardinalfish photographed with slow shutter, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

A beautiful anthias, photographed with the vintage Trioplan 100mm lens, Red Sea, Egypt
 

A big bull sea lion takes a break from hunting lunch to inspect the photographer, Los Islotes, Baja, Mexico
 

A two-banded clownfish, endemic to the Red Sea, poses in front if its anemone home, Egypt
 

A school of snapper seem to erupt from the middle of the frame, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
 

Corals photographed at night under UV light, Barbados
 

A lemon goby in the mouth of a bottle, photographed with the Saga Magic Tube, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

Mobula rays at night with slow shutter, Baja, Mexico
 

A pygmy seahorse clings to its host sea fan (with polyps extended!), Anilao, Philippines
 

A sunset split shot over a beautiful Red Sea reef, Egypt
 

A well-known tropical Pacific subject, the lemon goby, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

A massive school of Bohar snapper, Red Sea, Egypt
 

A dark and moody take on Stingray City in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
 

A beautiful scene in the Egyptian Red Sea
 

A glassfish tornado inside the Dunraven wreck, Red Sea, Egypt
 

To see more of Catherine’s beautiful imagery, please follow her on Instagram and visit her website, www.catherineholmesunderwaterphotography.com.