Articles

A diver exploring Carwash Cenote, Tulum, Mexico. The eerie color is runoff after a rainstorm
 

An aquatic aficionado with a relentless passion for adventure travel, Hank Kollross—affectionately called “Scoobz” by his friends—is our newest Photographer of the Week here at DPG. Hank is on a mission to capture the mystical beauty of the ocean depths while advocating for its preservation along the way. With a heart as deep as the abyss and an eye for capturing the underwater world, Hank strives to make a splash in the realm of ocean conservation through photography and ocean-related volunteer efforts.

From the vibrant reefs of the tropics to the icy expanses of the poles, he’s had the good fortune to scuba dive on every continent, and hopes to revisit them all again and again... and again. Though his current passion is blackwater diving, or any dive involving octopuses, he never turns away from any opportunity to delve into the depths with friends no matter the location, the creatures, or the temperature!

After many years as a hobbyist topside photographer, he bought his first underwater camera in 2017. It wasn’t long after that he bought a bigger one and stepped up his travel game. Hank truly believes a photographer's lens can become a powerful tool for spreading awareness about the fragility of our oceans ecosystems. His focus as a photographer is not to impress other photographers, but instead to inspire those people who might never see the things we get to see down there to appreciate them and protect them, and to always vote for the planet.
 

A blacksaddled snake eel poking out of the sand, waiting for unsuspecting prey to swim by, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

A broadclub cuttlefish hamming it up for the camera, Bangka, Indonesia
 

A juvenile broadclub cuttlefish hovering in front of a festive background, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

A postlarval longarm octopus over deep water, Kona, Hawaii, USA
 

A blue-ring octopus with blue bokeh, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

A percula clownfish has chosen a beautiful anemone to make home, Bangka Island, Indonesia
 

A flamboyant cuttlefish flashing its namesake colors, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

Larval spotfin flounders are a common sight on blackwater dives in Florida, USA
 

“Fu Manchu” style flying fish off Palm Beach, Florida, USA
 

A coconut octopus taking shelter in a clam shell, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

Coconut octopuses are prevalent in muck diving locations around the tropical Pacific, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
 

Follow along with Hank’s adventures and his photography on his Instagram page and visit his website, www.photoctopus.com.