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Henley Spiers

2023

Henley Spiers

2023
Henley Spiers is a highly decorated wildlife photographer, writer, and expedition leader. An avid waterman, he started out as a dive instructor, before falling in love with underwater imagery and making the transition to full-time photojournalism. Henley lives in Devon, UK, with his wife, Jade, and their two young daughters.

Throughout the next 12 months, Henley will be sharing all his incredible photography and stories from the field on this page – expedition diaries, behind-the-scenes videos and in-print Oceanographic features will all be available below.
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Expedition photography

Keep up with all the beautiful and impactful work Henley is creating in the field. We'll be sharing the best images here, along with incredible behind-the-scenes content.

Prior to Henley's first expedition, here's a range of the stunning photography he has created to date. Click on an image to discover the story behind it.

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A Northern Gannet swims through a storm of bubbles created by dozens of these impressive seabirds diving down in pursuit of fish. Location: Shetland, UK.

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Offering a front-row seat to the depths of our planet, the acrylic domed submersibles are not just scientific tools but vessels of inspiration, with the power to shock and awe passengers, carried in comfort to our biggest ocean blind zones. Location: Fuvahmulah Atoll, Maldives

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When large shoals of mackerel congregate offshore, it leads to an exceptional gathering of pelagic predators, including striped marlin. Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico.

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A school of uniquely patterned spotted eagle rays passes beneath me on an unforgettable dive. Scientists have just recently confirmed that the spotting on each ray is a unique identifier, the equivalent of a human fingerprint. Location: South Male Atoll, Maldives

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A slender ribbon eel appears to roar as it opens its mouth wide to breathe. Location: Batangas, Philippines.

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Ride along perspective of a spinner dolphin super-pod. Location: Offshore Eastern Pacific Ocean.

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Beautiful yet vulnerable, a seahorse does not share the same speed and agility as many reef inhabitants. They exist precariously within a small area, whilst life around them moves at an altogether faster pace. Location: Batangas, Philippines.

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A relaxed grey seal pup in the kelp. Location: Devon, UK.

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A Yellowhead Jawfish incubates its eggs in its mouth. The eyes on each egg are clearly visible and indicate that the eggs are almost ready to be released after a 5-10 day brooding period. Location: Anse Cochon, Saint Lucia.

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California Sea Lion swims over a coral head as sardines scatter. Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico.

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Face to face with plankton bloom so thick that at times I am unable to see through it, a rich tapestry of tiny, pulsating animals. Location: Shetland, UK.

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Fish scatter as a nurse shark makes its way through. Location: Vavau Atoll, Maldives

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An epic hunt takes place as marlin and sea lions compete for food in the open ocean. Location: Baja California Sur. 

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Despite appearances, these two Tompot Blennies are not kissing but engaged in a ferocious battle over mating rights. Location: Dorset, UK

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Blue sharks will cruise enormous swathes of the ocean in search of food and company. For a few years now, a population has been reliably spotted off the British southwest coast, having crossed the Atlantic to get there. Location: Cornwall, UK

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Dynamic over-under image showing the abundance of fish life following conservation measures. Location: Misool, Indonesia

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A large olive ridley turtle rests peacefully on the sea bed as it is manicured by an eager group of reef fish. Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Northern Gannets perform fishing dives close to the tall cliffs where they visit seasonally for nesting season. Location: Shetland, UK.

Despatches: From the field

During his residency, Henley will be producing a series of digital articles and behind-the-scenes insights, 'Despatches: From the field'. These articles will appear here.

Before the first of those, Oceanographic asked Henley a few questions about his expectations and plans for the year ahead.

Henley Spiers
WORDS BY Oceanographic Magazine
Storyteller in Residence: Meet Henley Spiers
Read

Printed features

Over the course of the next 12 months Henley will be producing a range of articles for the printed version of Oceanographic Magazine. All those articles will be available to read here.

In the meantime, you can enjoy an article Henley wrote for Oceanographic in 2022, 'Rapt by the Deep'.

Henley Spiers
WORDS BY Henley Spiers
Rapt by the deep
Read
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