Photographer Marc Montocchio

Marc Montocchio specializes in capturing unique and stunning images of ocean wildlife in their natural habitat. His work has appeared in numerous international publications, including National Geographic, Marlin, Outside Traveler, Africa Geographic, BlueWater, Tide, Out There, Voyages de Pêche, and many more.

Born in Durban, South Africa, Marc developed an early love for the sea, swimming in the warm, blue waters of the Indian Ocean. He inherited a passion for fishing from his grandfather, Edouard Montocchio, an avid big game fisherman born in 1906 to a French colonial family on the island of Mauritius.

“Pops was larger than life, a real old world gentleman, and I was in awe of him,” says Marc. “His tackle box was a treasure trove. When I was a kid, I used to sneak into the room where he kept his fishing gear and spend hours just looking at his lures. He gave me my first saltwater reel when I was ten.”

Marc first picked up an underwater camera while serving as a clearance diver in the South African Navy. After completing his military service, Marc moved to Grand Cayman, where he worked as a diving instructor, boat captain, and fishing guide, while continuing to develop his unique photographic style.

Marc’s photography has since taken him on expeditions all over the world, documenting underwater scenes that his beloved grandfather could have only imagined. He continues to produce cutting-edge photographs of ocean life in places like the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Mexico, Egypt’s Red Sea, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Costa Rica, and Hawaii.

When he’s not traveling for work, Marc lives by the water in Morehead City, North Carolina with his wife, Laura.

Behind-the-scenes videos: