Female underwater photographer: Our world's marine ecosystems are beautiful, but fragile

Renee Grinnell Capozzola in Moorea, French Polynesia, in August 2020.
Renee Grinnell Capozzola in Moorea, French Polynesia, in August 2020.

As a Southern California native, I grew up with the ocean as an integral part of my life. With a background in biology and art, and a love of animals, scuba diving became the perfect addition to my passion for travel. As I visited some of the most remote parts of the world, I developed a real appreciation for marine organisms and their ecosystems and capture that in my photography. My goal is for my images to help the public become aware of our need to protect our fragile marine ecosystems and encourage others to take care of our oceans.

This year, I was thrilled to become the first female photographer and American to ever win the “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021" by the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.

When I am not in the water with my camera, I teach biology and educate my students about the challenges facing our oceans and the importance of conserving marine ecosystems.

I hope you enjoy my work.

Renee Grinnell Capozzola is an international award-winning underwater photographer who specializes in wide angle and split-level images.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Female underwater photographer: The ocean is mighty, but fragile