Brian Skerry
Brian Skerry is a veteran photojournalist and documentary filmmaker specializing in marine wildlife and underwater realms. Brian’s signature style is to create intimate stories and visuals that inspire audiences to see the world in new ways.
Since 1998 Brian has been a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine, where he has created and photographed more than 30-feature stories, including 7 cover stories. His work has also been featured in publications such as Sports Illustrated, The NY Times, The Washington Post, Paris Match, Esquire, and Audubon. His work has been recognized.
His recent documentary film credits include Secrets of the Whales and Return of the White Shark, both currently streaming on Disney+. In 2021 Brian received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary as producer of Secrets of the Whales. His latest television series, Sea Change, a 3-part, Special Series for NOVA debuted in 2024 on PBS.
In 2014 he was named as a National Geographic Society Photography Fellow and then named a National Geographic Society Storytelling Fellow in 2017 the same year he was awarded the title of Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. In 2016 he received the National Geographic Magazine – Photographer’s Photographer Award. In 2025 he was named the Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year by the North American Nature Photography Association.
Brian is the author of 12 books including the acclaimed monographs Ocean Soul, SHARK and Secrets of the Whales.
Brian frequently lectures on ocean exploration, storytelling and conservation, having presented at venues such as The United Nations General Assembly, The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, TED Talks, The National Press Club in Washington, DC, The Royal Geographical Society in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Brian last presented at xPosure in 2021 and had a print exhibition about whale culture.
Brian frequently lectures on photography, exploration, and conservation issues, having presented at venues such as the United Nations General Assembly, The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, TED Talks, The National Press Club in Washington, DC, The Royal Geographical Society in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. He has appeared as a guest on television programs, including NBC’s TODAY Show and CBS’s This Morning and on radio stations across the US.
Brian is the Explorer-In-Residence and a Trustee at the New England Aquarium, a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Director of The New England Ocean Odyssey for The Conservation Law Foundation, and a Fellow National of The Explorers Club. He also serves as a Marine Fellow with Conservation International and serves on the World Wildlife Fund’s National Council and the WWF’s Marine Leadership Council.
BOOKS
Secrets of the Whales
Ocean Soul
Shark
Successful Underwater Photography
The Ultimate Book of Sharks
2021 EMMY AWARD-WINNING FILM
Secrets of the Whales
Brian is the author of 12 books including the acclaimed monographs Ocean Soul, SHARK and Secrets of the Whales. His recent documentary film credits include Secrets of the Whales and Return of the White Shark, both currently streaming on Disney+. His latest television series, Sea Change, a 3-part, Special Series for NOVA debuted in 2024 on PBS. He has had numerous solo-photographer exhibits in cities worldwide including Geneva, Barcelona, Lisbon, Siena, Sharjah, Shanghai and Paris. His photo exhibition, ‘Portraits of Planet Ocean,’ was on display for two years at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
