Steven Lopez
Steven, co-founder of Explorers Photography, is an underwater archaeologist and an award-winning underwater photographer and cinematographer. His work blends underwater imagemaking, scientific exploration, and technology. With a master’s degree in Maritime Archaeology, Steven is also a certified AAUS Scientific Diver, TDI trimix diver, and PADI Divemaster. He has dedicated over 15 years to exploring and documenting some of the ocean’s most extraordinary environments. From the kelp forests of Catalina Island to the icy waters of Antarctica, the Amazon Rainforest, and ancient shipwrecks of the Eastern Mediterranean, Steven specializes in capturing stories from some of the world’s most remote and fragile ecosystems. His work has been featured in museum exhibitions, art galleries around Los Angeles, and international magazines, where his photographic narratives inspire audiences to connect with the underwater world.
Furthermore, with a data science background from MIT, Steven has recently developed proprietary tooling which streamlines precision gas planning for open circuit technical diving. His technical expertise also extends into geospatial mapping and photogrammetry having led innovative projects, workshops, and features for organizations such as the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Honor Frost Foundation, and Forces.net. He creates detailed 3D models of underwater sites that bridge the gap between science and storytelling. Through partnerships with these organizations, along with other organizations such as Catalina Diver Supply, BleuWorld.org, and DiverSeaFy, Steven contributes to initiatives that advocate for ocean conservation, diving accessibility, academic and citizen science.
As co-founder of Explorers Photography, Steven applies his technical/scientific background, creative vision, an extensive diving expertise to create compelling art. Steven is LA-born of Mexican/Native American roots and loves to document his favorite local dive spots and marine protected areas to raise awareness of our ecosystems and oceans. Whether leading local expeditions and workshops, or collaborating with global organizations, Steven’s mission is to inspire exploration, protect the ocean, and share its most captivating stories with the world through art and storytelling.