Articles

Leafy seadragon with masterful camouflage, Southern Australia
 

Talia Greis is a self-taught, internationally acclaimed underwater photographer from Sydney, Australia. She was born and raised in the coastal city region of the Eastern Suburbs, and her appreciation for the ocean was discovered while diving the world-famous Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Talia says, “Understanding the rich diversity and abundance of Australia’s underwater world flipped a switch that made it essential for me to take a camera below the surface as soon as possible; not only to be able capture the local marine life, but also to be able to completely understand the true colors and complexities of what I had witnessed.”

Talia soon realized that her role in diving had changed, and as many of us photographers can understand, she now finds it impossible to dive without a camera in her hands. Despite her passion for wide-angle photography, Talia’s focus has been redirected to macro and close-focus wide-angle shooting in recent years, as Sydney waters aren’t overly conducive to classic wide-angle imagery. This switch has enabled her to explore styles that revolve around animal portraits, behavior, and more experimental techniques like slow shutter motion blur. “I find the most effective way to capture the essence of a subject is to sit and observe its existence, which can sometimes mean hours of patiently waiting, trigger ready for when the moment is transformed into magic,” she says.

Talia is a devoted Nikon shooter, favoring the 8–15mm fisheye for wide angle, and the 60mm macro for the small stuff. For her, capturing the beauty of our oceans, aside from its personal therapeutic benefits, is vital for the welfare of the ocean itself. If people learn to love what lies beneath the surface, they will want to protect and conserve it, and Talia echoes this sentiment wholeheartedly.
 

Gobbleguts fish incubating a clutch of eggs, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

Golden jellyfish, Cabbage Tree Bay, Australia
 

Massive grouper surrounded by baitfish on the Yongala, Queensland, Australia
 

A seahorse and its shadow, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

Striated frogfish with a broken lure, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

Yellow crested weedfish, Sydney, Australia
 

Crab resting beneath a submerged piece of wood, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

The beautiful rhinophore of a nudibranch, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

Giant cuttlefish, Cabbage Tree Bay, Australia
 

Spotted handfish guarding a precious clutch of eggs, Tasmania, Australia
 

White’s seahorse, Chowder Bay, Australia
 

Tawny nurse shark, Maldives
 

Leafy seadragon, South Australia
 

Mantas by night, Maldives
 

To see more of Talia’s work, check out her website, www.taliagreisphotography.com.au, and her Instagram page.