Hi! My name is Isabella Zandoná, and I’m a marine biologist and underwater photographer. I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but grew up near Seattle, Washington, where my lifelong love for the ocean began. That passion solidified in first grade during a school project that sparked my dream of becoming a marine biologist.
I earned my degree in Marine Biology from the University of Oregon in 2024, but my connection to the water goes far beyond academics. I became scuba certified in 2018 and fell in love with underwater photography the following year, launching my Instagram account, @divingwithbella, to share my work and the incredible marine life I encounter.
Through my photography, I aim to bring the underwater world to those who might never see it firsthand. I often hear from Seattle locals, ‘I had no idea we had such beautiful marine life in the Puget Sound!’
I believe that when people can see and understand something, they are more likely to care about protecting it. To that end, I often pair my photography with marine science facts, hoping to spark curiosity and conservation.
I currently shoot with a Canon R6 in a Marelux housing with Marelux strobes, using either a Canon 15–30mm wide-angle lens or a 100mm macro lens.
Living and doing most of my diving in the Pacific Northwest means most of my photos are taken in the cold, green waters of the Puget Sound, where visibility can be measured in feet rather than yards, but that’s part of the challenge and the fun.
My passion for diving and photography has taken me around the world. I’ve had the privilege to work with and represent companies like Marelux, Suunto, and Mares, and my work has been featured by National Geographic, Canon, Divers Alert Network, and more.
I took this shot during an evening dive at Bonaire’s Salt Pier, one of the island’s most popular dive sites. I’d been hoping to photograph a turtle from directly behind with the late-day sun lighting up its shell. It took some patience but as golden hour hit, the turtle cruised through the shallows, and I grabbed the shot just as she swam up for a breath.
This pipefish hitched a ride on the back of a giant sea cucumber and stayed there long enough for me to get a few shots. I see pipefish often in Seattle, but I’d never seen one using another animal as a perch. Normally, they stay tucked into algae or debris for camouflage, so seeing one so exposed, and on such an unusual “resting spot”—made this a memorable encounter.
This macro shot of a sand diver was taken during a quiet moment on a dive in Bonaire. These small fish tend to stay still if you approach slowly, which gave me time to get close and capture the detail in its face.
This baby lumpsucker, photographed in Seattle, was about the size of a pea and clinging to algae with its modified pelvic fins, which work like a suction cup. These tiny fish aren’t strong swimmers, so they stick to surfaces to stay put. Easy to miss unless you know what you’re looking for and are willing to get very close.
Photographed in Seattle, each of these tiny, clear orbs contains a developing tubesnout anchored to the algae. Their delicate clusters are barely larger than a fingertip.
Photographed in Bonaire, this spotted cleaner shrimp stands out against its anemone host. Only about an inch long, these crustaceans clean passing fish by picking off parasites and dead skin in exchange for a meal. This image was featured by National Geographic.
Photographed in Seattle, this juvenile wolf eel peeks out from behind its den, showing a glimpse of its sharp teeth.
This sunset seascape was shot in the shallow waters of Roatan, with warm light reflecting off the reef as the day wrapped up.
Photographed in Seattle, this red octopus can rapidly change its colours and skin patterns, shifting from smooth to textured in seconds. This one was showing off its spiky skin texture.
Photographed in Seattle, this juvenile wolf eel displays the bright orange colour seen on younger individuals. In the kelp-filled shallows, this colour blends surprisingly well. As wolf eels mature, they turn grey and develop darker spots, with each individual having a unique spot pattern. Despite their name, wolf eels are actually fish, not true eels.
Photographed in Bonaire, these tiny purple dots are sergeant major fish eggs, each guarded by a devoted male. After the female lays them, sometimes up to 10,000 at once, the male fans them with his fins and defends them from predators. Each egg is less than 1 mm wide, and the developing larvae’s eyes are already visible inside.
Photographed in Seattle, this baby stubby squid was smaller than a jellybean and nearly invisible against the sand until it moved slightly, revealing itself. Baby stubby squid spend a lot of their time buried, with only their eyes peeking out, but this one wanted its photo taken!
Photographed in British Columbia, where anything is on the menu, these opportunistic anemones won’t miss a chance to feed, even unusual prey like this egg yolk jellyfish becomes a meal. The anemones use their sticky tentacles to pull the jellyfish in for a big feast. I was lucky to witness and capture this rare moment. I feel like it shows just how unpredictable the ocean can be.
Photographed in Seattle, this giant acorn barnacle is reaching toward the camera with its feathery cirri. Often overlooked, barnacles are actually crustaceans closely related to crabs and lobsters. Once settled as juveniles, they spend their lives cemented in place, feeding by sweeping plankton from the water with their cirri.
This seascape was taken in British Columbia and shows a young kelp forest in the shallows. I always find it beautiful when the sun hits the water just right through these kelp forests. This photo was taken during my safety stop. It’s easy to let those three minutes fly by when you have views like this.
Another lumpsucker, for good measure. This side profile shows off the fish’s unique shape and texture. One of my favourite subjects to shoot here in Seattle.
This female giant Pacific octopus is tending to thousands of eggs in her den. Found here in Seattle, these octopuses have a fascinating life cycle. After mating, the female carries the male’s sperm in her mantle until she finds a suitable den, then fertilises and attaches the eggs to the roof. She stays with them, cleaning and protecting them, and never leaves, not even to hunt. By the time the eggs hatch, she is too weak to survive.
This Caribbean reef squid in Roatan followed us for the entire hour-long dive, hovering nearby and turning to watch the camera whenever I aimed it its way. Its curiosity made it one of the most cooperative wide-angle subjects I’ve ever had underwater.
The Hilma Hooker rests on her starboard side at 30 meters in Bonaire. Built in the 1950s, she was seized after authorities found 25,000 pounds of marijuana hidden on board, then later scuttled between two reefs to form an artificial reef. Now she’s home to tarpon, dense fish schools, and plenty of happy divers. I got my wreck diving certification on this wreck, she has a special place in my heart.
This close-up of a sand diver in Bonaire shows its fine, needle-like teeth, which they use for catching small fish and crustaceans. These ambush predators bury themselves in the sand and wait motionless until prey comes within reach.
Check out more of Bella’s work on her Instagram account @divingwithbella, and if you’d like to see your underwater photography published on these pages and shared across our social media feed and weekly newsletter, send an e-mail with some samples to crowley@divemagazine.com.
