~ Your Window to the Underwater World ~

Welcome to Blue Elements Imaging and Exploration! Tanya Griffin Houppermans is an internationally acclaimed award-winning underwater image maker, shark naturalist, scientific diver, and explorer who advocates for the ocean and its inhabitants through conservation and education.

Tanya has been named the Overall Winner of the Mangrove Photography Awards 2022 for her image 'Guardian of the Mangroves' depicting an American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in the mangroves of Gardens of the Queen, Cuba! This contest was sponsored by the Mangrove Action Project to increase awareness of the critical nature of mangroves worldwide. To see all of the category winners and finalists, visit the Mangrove Photography Awards website. Congratulations to all of the winners!

'Guardian of the Mangroves' - The overall winning image of this year's Mangrove Photography Awards

The National Geographic special edition of Sharks: Rulers of the Deep is now available on newsstands everywhere! This informative and educational publication features fascinating articles about sharks along with the world-class images you expect from National Geographic. This is also Tanya's first time being published in the print edition of National Geographic! Be sure to check out her images of lemon sharks on page 44 and a tiger shark ultrasound on page 84. This issue is also available to order online via Amazon.

Exciting news! Tanya and Dr. James Sulikowski of the Sulikowski Shark and Fish Conservation Lab recently spent time with NBC reporter Kerry Sanders for a segment the TODAY Show did about James and Tanya's shark research and exciting new discoveries about sand tiger sharks off North Carolina. It was a great day on and in the water as Kerry had the opportunity to dive with sand tiger sharks. A big thank you to Kerry for coming out to learn more about these amazing sharks! See the entire segment below.

Image Galleries

Tanya's work studying the sand tiger sharks of North Carolina was highlighted in the program Shark Gangs as part of National Geographic's Shark Fest! Shark Gangs is currently streaming on Disney+. View her segment of the show here!