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Scalloped hammerhead shark, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
 

If you can bring yourself to quickly scroll down, past the awesome images in this portfolio, you’ll reach a photo that tells you most of what you need to know about our Photographer of the Week, Michael Gallagher: Here is a talented shooter with an infectious passion for exploring the underwater world—which has clearly already got his young daughter, Eli, hooked.

Born in Australia, in a small country town, Michael grew up with no shortage of land-dwelling creatures for company—rainbow lorikeets, green tree frogs, wandering echidnas, and (gulp!) redback spiders—but his fascination for the sea came from exploring beaches, rock pools, and grassy sand dunes during family seaside holidays. By the time he’d hit the age of 17, he was scuba certified and fully committed to his new hobby.

London-based for the last 20 years, Michael has racked up a substantial number of air miles over the years visiting some of the planet’s most envy-inducing dive destinations—Costa Rica, the Galápagos, South Africa, Seychelles, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, among many others—and steadily amassed a fabulous collection of images (both above and below the waterline), just some of which you can enjoy here. From in-your-face big fish portraits to intimate studies of the smallest, most-delicate critters, Michael has captured his animal subjects in all their glory.

It’s this beauty that Michael hopes to continue sharing with his 10-year-old dive buddy: “I have been fortunate in my lifetime to be able to marvel at so many of the Earth’s natural wonders,” he says. “I only hope that when my beautiful daughter Eliane grows up, she will be able to do the same.”
 

French angelfish, Salt Pier, Bonaire
 

Powder-blue surgeonfish, Ari Atoll, Maldives
 

Pink anemonefish, Ngemelis, Palau
 

Hairy frogfish, Lembeh, Indonesia
 

Weedy seadragon, Sydney, Australia
 

Giant moray eel, Red Sea, Egypt
 

Gray seal, Lundy Island, England
 

Green sea turtle, Byron Bay, Australia
 

Stingray, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
 

Thresher shark, Malapascua, Philippines
 

Whale shark, Daymaniyat Islands, Oman
 

Brown booby, Socorro Islands, Mexico
 

Sargassum fish, Lembeh, Indonesia
 

Harlequin shrimp, Lembeh, Indonesia
 

Michael with daughter Eli
 

For more of Michael’s stunning images, check out his website, www.abovebelowbeyondimages.com.