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The whale-like tail of a dugong as it heads towards the surface for a breath, Abu Dabbab, Egypt
 

This week’s Photographer of the Week, Francis Glassup, hails from the rugged coast of Cornwall in the UK. Francis grew up snorkeling in the kelp forests of southwest England, fascinated by the underwater realm and all the life therein. He heard stories of huge mako and blue sharks that used to inhabit UK waters. Sadly, most of those monster sharks are long since gone, but the tales were enough to get Francis hooked—no pun intended!

He went to school for oceanography, and worked as an oceanographic researcher and consultant. It was on a trip to the Maldives that he brought along his first underwater camera, a simple SeaLife. Modest camera it may have been, but it sparked the passion that all of us underwater photographers possess: a desire to capture and share the amazing marine world.

Francis moved to Mozambique and got to dive alongside a great macro photographer and biologist named Jenny Stromvoll. It was this experience that motivated him to invest in a bigger underwater setup. Mozambique has many unique dive areas, owing to the tropical climate in the northern part of the country and the cold waters down south near the South African border.

Since those first days shooting underwater, Francis has been lucky enough to visit the Galápagos Islands, various locations in the Caribbean, the Azores, and even Antarctica. He also placed in the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year competition in 2020. Francis recently moved to Brazil and hopes to explore and photograph some of the unique flora and fauna that the country has to offer. Francis shoots his images these days with a Nikon D810 in a Hugyfot housing and dual Ikelite strobes.
 

A marine iguana, endemic to the Galápagos, heads back to shore after foraging, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
 

A sea lion playing upside down in the Galápagos, Ecuador
 

High key image of an eagle ray, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
 

A green sea turtle striking a pose, Providencia Island, Colombia
 

A thorny seahorse peering straight into the camera, Naurro, Mozambique
 

The intimate details and powerful eye of a blue shark, Azores, Portugal
 

An artistic slow shutter image of a white sea bream, Azores, Portugal
 

A flock of devil rays cruising the blue waters in the Azores, Portugal
 

A well-camouflaged wrasse, Marsa Shagra, Egypt
 

An endangered dugong munching on some seagrass, Abu Dabbab, Egypt
 

Humbug dascyllus photographed with slow shutter, Marsa Shagra, Egypt
 

To see more of Francis’ superb imagery, please check out his website, www.francis-glassup.com, and his Instagram page.