Thomas Peschak: Ocean Stories
National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak on sharks, turtles, rays and the Galápagos — the ocean seen by a storyteller with a biologist's eye.
What it is
@thomaspeschak is the account of National Geographic photographer and explorer Thomas Peschak. His bio also lists him as Director of Storytelling at the Save Our Seas Foundation. He has more than a million followers.
Peschak shoots the sea like a biologist would: the frame isn't just a pretty fish, it's a moment in an ecosystem — a school, a hunt, a migration, people working alongside animals. His pinned highlights include three separate Galápagos collections and a set on his photobooks. Captions are in English, but the images are strong enough that you can follow along without reading.
One thing to know: many recent posts are collaborations with partners — Save Our Seas Foundation, Parley, Vital Impacts — so they appear on his grid and theirs at the same time. The feed sometimes reads like a project log rather than a pure portfolio.
Why we picked it
We like that Peschak treats the ocean as a place where things happen, not a postcard. In summer 2026 his feed carried a World Sea Turtle Day post and a collaboration with Parley about getting people to care for a place that feels far away from them. In autumn came calls for the Save Our Seas ocean storytelling photography grant, including a breakdown of what the judges look for.
That's useful whether you're just watching or trying to shoot yourself. You see how single frames turn into a story, why context matters, and how one picture of a person beside an animal can say more than ten perfect fish portraits.
It also pairs nicely with Paul Nicklen's colder, polar-leaning feed: here you get warmer seas, tropical islands and coastal underwater life.
Where to start
- Open the Galápagos highlights — the clearest summary of his style.
- Check the photobooks highlight to see which projects he considers his core work.
- Find the World Sea Turtle Day post in the feed.
- If you shoot, read the Save Our Seas grant posts on what makes a strong application.
- Scroll further back for more of his own single-image posts.
Who it's for
Anyone who loves the underwater world or travels to the coast. People curious about marine biology and conservation who'd rather look than read long articles. Photographers learning to tell stories in sequences. Shark- and turtle-obsessed kids, ideally scrolling with an adult who can talk through what they're seeing.
Quick answers
Why are there so many posts from other accounts? They're collaborative posts shared with Save Our Seas Foundation and other partners, so they appear on both profiles.
What language are the captions in? English. The photos and videos work without translation.
Is the account active? Yes — when we checked in October 2026, the latest posts were from earlier that month.
