An underwater and wildlife cinematographer with a passion for showcasing the world's stunning natural diversity. Maxwel grew up on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia before travelling around the world evolving his skills as a photographer. Maxwel currently works for productions like Netflix, Disney, National Geographic, BBC, IMAX, and more. He is a rebreather diver, cave diver, and a brand ambassador with Divesoft, Huish Outdoors and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

More people have walked on the moon than visited many of the places Jill Heinerth has explored on Earth. From the most dangerous technical dives deep inside underwater caves to swimming through giant Antarctic icebergs, Heinerth has been the hands and eyes of climatologists, archaeologists, biologists, and engineers worldwide. She was named the first Explorer-in-Residence of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and inaugural recipient of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration. Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Diver’s Hall of Fame, National Speleological Society, WINGS WorldQuest and the Explorers Club, which recognized her work with the prestigious William Beebe Award for ocean exploration. The Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times have lauded Jill’s best-selling memoir Into the Planet. Dolly Parton selected Jill’s book, The Aquanaut, for her Imagination Library program. Running Cloud Productions of Australia is currently filming a feature documentary that will be released in 2024 and previewed at the Sea Rovers Film Festival.

Brian Skerry is a film producer/director and veteran photojournalist specializing in marine wildlife. Brian’s signature style is to create stories and visuals that evoke emotion and connect audiences to stories that create positive impact.

Among his recent documentary film credits are Secrets of the Whales (concept creator and producer) and Return of the White Shark (co-creator and producer), both currently streaming on Disney+. Among his upcoming projects is a PBS television series scheduled for release in 2024. In 2021 Brian received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary as a producer of Secrets of the Whales.

Since 1998 Brian has been a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine, where he has created and photographed more than 30-feature stories, including 6 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. He is an 11-time award winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition held in London. Brian has also been recognized with awards from Pictures of the Year International, Nature’s Best, Communication Arts and is the only photographer to win the coveted Peter Benchley Award for Excellence in Media.

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, a recognition bestowed by his colleagues, other National Geographic Magazine photographers. In 2019 he received the NOGI Award for Arts. In 2021, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Worcester State University in Massachusetts. 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. 

He has had numerous solo-photographer exhibits in cities worldwide including Geneva, Barcelona, Lisbon, Siena, Shanghai and Paris.

Kirk Krack is a renowned ‘multi-disciplined’ diver and entrepreneur. Scuba instructor since 1988 and mixed gas instructor trainer since the mid-90’s, in 2000 Kirk developed one of the world first freediving educational systems, Performance Freediving International eventually training seven athletes to twenty-three world records and receiving the ‘DAN Rolex Diver of the Year’ award. He’s worked extensively in the movie industry recently training cast and crew for James Cameron on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. Kirk has joined DEEP Research Labs an ocean exploration and marine engineering company developing underwater habitats, submersibles and training.

A water baby from birth, Kaila’s extensive travels around the world have been primarily ocean based in all types of environments and include interactions with creatures such as whales, sharks, and dolphins. Along with her parents she’s had the opportunity to meet and dive with some of the worlds foremost authorities in marine conservation and has been featured is several TV documentaries. A freediver the whole of her life, she has now added SCUBA Diver to her resume. Kaila’s working career started at age 7 when she was asked to work on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ with her father who was the training and safety lead for the cast and crew. There Kaila worked doubling for Trinity Bliss who played the youngest character Tuk, of the Sully clan. Kaila spent many weeks in preparing and training in the Avatar tank for her time working with Trinity. Kaila spends her free time freediving, scuba diving, whale watching, speed swimming, cross-fit and kickboxing. She looks forward to more ocean and diving adventures in the future while continuing to figure out where her life’s passions will take her.”

Growing up in Barcelona by the shores of the Mediterranean gifted me with an eternal love for the sea and all its creatures. For as long as I can remember, I have spent more time underwater than on the surface. I practiced as a veterinarian in Spain, but it was a move to Baja California Sur, Mexico where I have the opportunity to follow my dream of working towards ocean conservation and capture its importance with my camera. My pathway of underwater photography and videography was embedded within me here.

My primary intention with photography is to promote messages of marine conservation to help protect the oceans that give life to us all through my images, I hope to show unique and important aspects of the underwater world that contribute to a better understanding of the ocean, its role on this planet and the sustainability of all life.

 
I have been honored to be a Backscatter video Photo Pro at Nautilus liveaboards working in the Revillagigedo Archipelago (Socorro Islands), Guadalupe, and the Sea of Cortez, three of the most incredible places I have ever seen in my life.