David Doubilet

David Doubilet is an underwater photographer recognized for his extensive contributions to marine photography and ocean conservation. His career spans more than six decades, during which he has become one of the most published photographers in National Geographic, contributing to approximately 75 feature stories. Doubilet's work documents marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and underwater ecosystems, providing a visual record of the ocean's biodiversity and environmental challenges.

Doubilet pioneered the split field image technique, also known as over/under images, which captures scenes both above and below the waterline in a single frame. His technical innovations and use of natural light have influenced the field of underwater photography, and his subjects have included coral reefs, sharks, and historic shipwrecks such as the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor.

He has authored 12 books, including "Water Light Time," "The Kingdom of Coral: Australia's Great Barrier Reef," "Light in the Sea," "Fish Face," and "Pacific: An Undersea Journey." Doubilet is a featured presenter for Nat Geo Live, a columnist, and a contributing editor. One of his images was selected for the Golden Records aboard NASA's Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which are now in interstellar space. He has been named a National Geographic Society Contributing Photographer-in-Residence.

Doubilet's work has been recognized with awards such as the Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, the Lennart Nilsson Award for scientific photography, the Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award, the Hans Hass Award, and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society. He is a member of the Academy of Achievement, the Royal Photographic Society, the International League of Conservation Photographers, and the International Diving Hall of Fame.

Doubilet is an advocate for marine conservation, documenting coral reefs at risk from climate change, including UNESCO Marine World Heritage Sites. In collaboration with aquatic biologist Dr. Jennifer Hayes, he is engaged in the long-term project "Oceans Through the Lens of Time," which revisits major underwater sites to document environmental changes. As a keynote speaker, Doubilet shares his expertise in underwater photography, marine biology, and ocean conservation with audiences worldwide.