- FEATURED / Antarctica
- 14 September 2021
Born and raised in California, Justin Hofman has travelled to every continent in search of wildlife – from swimming with white sharks in Africa to documenting unknown species of insects in Sierra Nevada caves.
Justin shares his lifelong passion for the ocean with yacht owners and charterers while working with EYOS Expeditions as an expedition leader, dive master, naturalist and photographer. These missions allow him to explore the wonders of the Arctic and Antarctic both above and below water.
“My first introduction to the underwater world was through documentaries. David Attenborough was a huge part of my upbringing and his enthusiasm for the natural world shaped me as a five-year-old,” he explains.
“After my marine biology studies, becoming a scientific illustrator allowed me to pursue all sorts of interests and use my artistic talents across a variety of projects.”
A tip for up-and-coming underwater photographers: Justin professes a love for Sony mirrorless systems. “They have such incredible customisation, which is key.
“Being able to program a suite of buttons to do the function that I want, rather than being hamstrung by an engineer that maybe has never dived in their life, has made underwater shooting just a little bit easier.”
In 2017, Justin’s photo of a seahorse holding a cotton bud was featured in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and soon afterwards went viral across the globe.
The image is now forever associated with a growing movement to eradicate single-use plastic waste in the ocean.
Currently, he splits his time between expedition ships, wildlife photography and illustration. He most enjoys when these disciplines converge and he can use his understanding of ecology and animal behaviours to help inspire others to care about the wonders of the planet.
Justin regularly shares stories from his adventurous life at sea and among wildlife on Instagram.
