2001 – David Doubilet

“For taking his camera to previously unexplored submarine places and revealing hitherto invisible phenomena.”

David Doubilet (b. 1946) earns distinction as one of the world’s most celebrated underwater photographers. Doubilet displays a clear aspiration to create images that are unique and reveal the world underwater in new, visually arresting ways. His self-imposed challenge is “to redefine photographic boundaries each time he enters the water.” Since his first assignment for the magazine in 1971, Doubilet has published nearly 70 stories in National Geographic magazine, which describes him as a “consummate artist.”

The split-lens camera, Doubilet’s own invention, has enabled the master underwater photographer to get his greatest shots. His powerful, elegant images capture the incredible beauty of the world below the surface of the world’s waters. His widely acclaimed work, which spans four decades, is of immense photographic and scientific value.