Split-level over-under photograph: coral reef below, golden sunset sky above

Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef

Where the reef
meets the light.

Underwater and wildlife photography from the only place on Earth two World Heritage ecosystems share a coastline — sharks, manta rays, reef life and rainforest, shot by someone who knows the tide times and the dive sites.

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Based in Cairns, working the outer Reef, the continental shelf, and the rainforest behind it. Every category below is a different field — same eye for light, same respect for the animal in front of the lens.

Field Guide

Five places to find the light

Oceanic whitetip shark swimming head-on toward the camera, sunlit water above
Specimen 01 — Pelagics

Pelagics

Sharks and manta rays in open water — timed to currents, light, and the animals' own schedule, not ours.

Green sea turtle gliding over the reef, sunburst at the surface above
Specimen 02 — Reef Life

Reef Life

Turtles, coral bommies, and the small, slow moments that make up a healthy reef.

Coral pinnacle swarming with orange anthias fish, sunburst of light streaming down from above
Specimen 03 — Reef Life

Coral & Schooling Fish

Wide-angle reefscapes — the bommie as a whole ecosystem, not a single subject.

Two manta rays gliding over a coral reef in deep blue water
Specimen 04 — Pelagics

Manta Rays

Open-water encounters in good light — patience first, camera second.

Over-under split shot of a giant clam and coral in the shallows, sunset above the waterline
Specimen 05 — Seascapes

Seascapes

Where the surface and the reef meet — over/under shots at first and last light.

Red-tailed black cockatoo portrait, gold-flecked black plumage against the dark canopy
Specimen 06 — Rainforest

Rainforest Birdlife

The Daintree behind the reef — black cockatoos, canopy light, and the rainforest's own quiet moments.

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Oceanic whitetip shark swimming head-on toward the camera, sunlit water above

The Naturalist Behind the Lens

Ten years reading this coastline's light — above and below the surface.

I grew up between the reef and the range, and I still plan shoots around tide charts, current direction, and wet-season light the way some people plan around weather apps. That local knowledge is the actual product — knowing which outer-reef site has the cleanest water this week, which channel the mantas are feeding in, which Daintree track opens up after rain.

Underwater work especially rewards patience over schedule. Every shoot starts as a conversation about conditions and species before it's a conversation about shot list.

10+ Years shooting FNQ waters
1000+ Dives logged on the Reef
2 World Heritage backyards

Field Notes

Recent entries

Shark facing camera in blue water

January

Shooting sharks without a cage

Reef sharks are curious, not aggressive — the photos that work come from staying still, not chasing.

Red-tailed black cockatoo portrait, gold-flecked black plumage against the dark canopy

November

A cockatoo's-eye view of the rainforest

Behind the reef, the Daintree runs down almost to the shoreline — why the birdlife deserves as much attention as the water.

Shop

Take a piece of the reef home.

Framed fine-art prints and framed canvas editions — made to order, shipped anywhere in Australia. Every image in the collection is available.

Browse all prints
Split-level over-under photograph: coral reef below, golden sunset sky above Reef at Sunset Oceanic whitetip shark swimming head-on toward the camera, sunlit water above Reef Shark Two manta rays gliding over a coral reef in deep blue water Manta Ray Coral pinnacle swarming with orange anthias fish, sunburst of light streaming down from above Bommie Sunburst

Enquire

Tell me what you're after — print, story, or session.

Fill in what you know — print sizes, editorial briefs, or a custom underwater/wildlife shoot. I'll follow up within two business days with options and a quote.

hello@belowandbeyond.com.au

Cairns, Queensland — available across the Reef and FNQ