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A cormorant resurfacing after a failed dive to catch breakfast, Los Islotes, Baja California, Mexico
 

A natural-born adventurer, this week’s Photographer of the Week, Merche Llobera is passionate about wildlife and the natural world. Hailing from Spain, Merche has traveled the globe to capture in special and unique ways, the fantastic wildlife the planet has to offer. While she has been a diver since 2010, it was in 2019, when she invested in a full-frame mirrorless camera, that Merche really embarked on her underwater photography journey in earnest. She has a remarkable portfolio for just four years of shooting!

In those few short years, her work has been recognized in a variety of prestigious international competitions including Ocean Photographer of the Year, Nature inFocus, the Siena International Photo Awards, MontPhoto and the 35AWARDS. She was also part of the Spanish team for the 2023 World Photographic Cup, ultimately receiving the “Best of Nation” award for her highest-scoring image. As her portfolio here shows, Merche has a particular attachment to the ocean’s big animals, with Baja California Sur, Galápagos and the Maldives among her favorite destinations for underwater photography.

Through her work, Merche seeks to convey a vital message about the importance of conserving animals and their natural habitats. In 2022, she worked as a mentor for the wildlife photography program at the African School of Storytelling (AFRISOS), an NGO that provides opportunities to aspiring filmmakers and photographers in Africa. Merche was also among 14 talented female photographers whose stories and images formed the inaugural volume of Mother magazine, where they sought to show the importance of nature in our lives.
 

A group of pilot whales in the deep Pacific, cruising through spectacular sunrays
 

An orca crashes through a school of mobula rays, Baja California Sur, Mexico
 

A monster pod of thousands of dolphins far off the coast of Costa Rica
 

Two humpback whales dance in the shallow waters of Turks and Caicos
 

A mother and calf manatee come up to inspect the camera in Crystal River, Florida
 

A small squad of mobula rays cruise the blue waters off Costa Rica
 

An adorable gray whale calf smiling for the photographer, Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja, Mexico
 

The famous tornado of jacks in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico
 

Swirling baitfish surround a striped marlin, Baja California, Mexico
 

An adorable juvenile California sea lion strikes a pose off Los Islotes, Baja, Mexico
 

A pod of common dolphins on the way to hunt sardines off the coast of South Africa
 

Two mobula rays cut through a baitball, Costa Rica
 

A striped marlin and a California sea lion tag team a baitball off the coast of Baja California, Mexico
 

A mother and calf humpback share a moment in the shallow waters of the Turks and Caicos
 

At night in the Maldives, a whale shark feeds on plankton attracted by boat lights
 

To see more of Merche’s beautiful images, visit her website and check out her Instagram page.