Marla Tomorug

United States

I’m an underwater photographer and storyteller drawn to the quiet power of the ocean and the stories it holds. Since 2021, I’ve been diving with my camera, and feel incredibly grateful to have witnessed some of the most special underwater ecosystems on the planet.

The ocean has always felt like home. I grew up inland in Gilroy, California, but we spent countless weekends on the coast near Santa Cruz. Something about being near the water has always made it easier to breathe, easier to exist. That pull never left—and now, much of my work lives in those coastal edges where land meets sea.

During an 18-month global diving expedition, I had the opportunity to photograph some of the most remote and fragile marine ecosystems on Earth. From kelp forests off California to remote fishing villages in Sri Lanka, I focused on capturing the interplay between marine life, coastal communities, and the changing climate.

My work is rooted in curiosity and care. I aim to create images that not only reveal the beauty of the ocean but also deepen our responsibility to protect it. Every photo is part of a larger effort to tell stories that connect people to the living systems that sustain us all.