Douglas Klug is a diving instructor, underwater photographer, and diving writer based in Santa Barbara, California. Since taking his first underwater breaths on certification dives at the Monterey breakwater more than 35 years ago, Doug has continued to explore California’s waters as well as many tropical destinations. He moved to Santa Barbara at the age of 18 to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara. While there, he fell in love with the easy access to California’s Channel Islands, and never left.
Doug’s favourite diving destinations are the kelp forests of Southern California’s Channel Islands, where he enjoys photographing the majestic kelp forests, curious marine mammals, and tiny colourful nudibranchs. His adventures have taken him abroad to the sea turtles of the Hawaiian Islands, the great white sharks of Guadalupe Island, the stunning walls of the Cayman Islands, the coral reefs of Fiji, and even the humpback whales of Moorea.
Doug’s photo essays have been published in print worldwide, including articles in California Diving News, DAN Alert Diver, and Dive Training. Doug’s images have been used in numerous print and digital formats including use by the US National Park Service, US National Marine Sanctuary and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Google, and Microsoft. Doug even does live talks on underwater photography for dive clubs and museums in Southern California.
Doug’s experience includes being a recreational diving instructor as well as diving with nitrox and SCC rebreathers. Doug holds professional-level certifications from NAUI, SSI, PADI, NASDS, and TDI. Doug also participates in volunteer scientific diving for organisations such as Reefcheck. Doug worked in the retail/instructional diving business for about a decade, owning and operating a dive shop in the Santa Barbara area.
When he’s not taking underwater photos, Doug is still active as an underwater guide for divers not familiar with Southern California Diving. He also still teaches private lessons, underwater photography skills, and even offers an online NAUI certification course for divers on Southern California nudibranch identification.
Harbor seal Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Two-spot octopus guarding her eggs Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Spanish shawl nudibranch Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Kelp sunbeams Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Juvenile sea lions Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Kelp growth Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Cockscombe nudibranch Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Harbour seal Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Two-spot octopus Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Juvenile sea lion Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Garibaldi Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Sunlight through kelp Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Sea lions trio Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Moray eel and red rock shrimp Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Find more from Douglas on his Instagram @divindk or on his website
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