She to Shining Sea
When: August 5, 2026
From: 5:30PM – 8:30PM
The exhibition will open with a public reception at the Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz on Wednesday, August 5, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include a panel discussion with participating photographers about their experiences photographing the sanctuary, their creative process, and the stories behind their images.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists, engage in conversation about their work, and purchase select artwork if available.
Amanda Urena
email: amanda@discoverywhalewatch.com
Instagram: @voyagewithamanda
Amanda is a wildlife photographer for Discovery Whale Watch with a background in fisheries and wildlife management. Her love for the ocean began at a young age while growing up in Los Angeles, and her passion for photography developed while working on boats in Alaska and Hawaii. Through her images, she aims to bridge the gap between science and the public by sharing the stories of marine wildlife. She hopes each photograph conveys the scale, atmosphere, and feeling of an encounter, allowing viewers to feel as though they are experiencing these moments alongside her.
Beth Darr
BAD.photography
email: BAD.photography@aol.com
Instagram: @bad.photography_sc
Website: Badphotography.zenfoliosite.com
Hello, I’m Beth of BAD.photography. I enjoy being out in nature, and taking photographs that make me smile or laugh. Displaying those pictures so that you can smile or laugh along with me is so important to me. Many people never get the chance to see nature up-close and I love that I can be someone who can give that gift to them. All of my wildlife and nature photography are displayed on recycled metal or wood materials and were taken using long or zoom lenses and a lot of patience to capture my subjects from a distance. “Connecting people to nature through award winning photography.” Thank you so much for your interest in my art!
Colette English
Journey to Inspiration Photography
email: journeytoinspirationphotos@gmail.com
Instagram: @journey_to_inspiration
Website: journeytoinspiration.com
Colette creates original fine art prints representing the beauty of the Central Coast. She grew up in Monterey being inspired by the ocean and all the wildlife that calls it home from small to the large critters. Her worldview expanded when she was given the opportunity to live aboard in Japan where she gained an appreciation for their wildlife and distinct seasons. She is now back in California continuing to inspire people with her photography.
Effie Benjamin
EB Photography
Instagram: @effiesnapsshots
Website: effiebenjamin.com
Effie is a Santa Cruz-based freelance photographer specializing in underwater and fine art photography. Forever checking the tides and chasing the light, she blends freediving with film and digital processes to create intimate images of California's coastal ecosystems. Through her photographs, she hopes to foster curiosity, connection, and a deeper appreciation of the underwater world.
Emily Pomeroy
Emily Rose Nature Photography
Instagram: @emilyrose_naturephoto
Website: emilyrosenaturephoto.com
Emily is a wildlife biologist with a passion for photography. Emily was born and raised in New York and moved to California nearly ten years ago, focusing her career on environmental education, wildlife research, and wildlife rehabilitation. She aims to capture the beauty of the natural world and share it with others in the hopes of inspiring others to enjoy and help protect our beautiful blue planet.
Jodi Frediani
Jodi Frediani Photography
Website: jodifrediani.com and wildmontereybay.com
Jodi is a world-traveled, award-winning Santa Cruz humpback whale researcher and photographer specializing in marine species. She has been swimming with, and photographing, humpback whales for 25 years. Her images have been recognized for excellence in national and international competitions and juried exhibitions, including 1st in Black & White, 2023 Nature Photographer of the Year Contest (NPOTY), 1st in Art of Nature, 2017 Cal Academy of Sciences' Big Picture Competition, 1st in Wildlife, 23rd Julia Margaret Cameron Award, and People’s Choice Nominee, 2022 Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY). Her work has been featured by the BBC, Nat Geo, the Atlantic and Wired. Her image of an orca female, Louise, graces one of SC Metro’s buses. Frediani co-edited the anthology Wild Monterey Bay, which includes many of her photos illustrating over 40 first-hand accounts of people’s most memorable wildlife encounters in one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world.
Kaelyn DeYoung
email: Kaelyn@fastraft.com
Instagram: @Kaelyn_DeYoung
Hello, my name is Kaelyn, and I have been fortunate to work on Monterey Bay since 2015. Over the years, I've worked for several whale watch companies and now captain the Fast Raft out of Moss Landing. I also work aboard NOAA's research vessel Fulmar and with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), experiences that have given me the opportunity to spend countless hours on the water alongside some of California's most incredible marine wildlife. I take my camera with me everywhere I go because every day on the ocean has the potential to reveal something extraordinary. My photography is inspired by the wild moments that unfold naturally, from powerful predator interactions to the quieter behaviors that often go unnoticed. I hope my images do more than capture a moment; I hope they encourage people to slow down, look closer, and develop a deeper appreciation for the remarkable wildlife that calls Monterey Bay home. Sharing these moments with others is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
Kate Vylet
Instagram: @katevylet
Website: katevylet.com
Kate is a conservation photographer and videographer based in Monterey Bay, California. She specializes in underwater photography and documenting the kelp forest ecosystem in her backyard. Holding a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology as well as AAUS Scientific Diver and NAUI Divemaster certifications, Kate is also trained as a marine scientist and conducted kelp forest monitoring and climate change research for over a decade. Her work has been awarded in numerous competitions and featured in various publications, including Audubon, National Wildlife, BBC Wildlife, Oceanographic, and Hakai magazines, as well as film and book contributions. She is also a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and a Partner Photographer with Girls Who Click.
Morgan Quimby
Instagram: @morganqphoto
Website: mqphoto.zenfoliosite.com
Morgan grew up in rural Vermont photographing birds and honing her skills as a young wildlife photographer. She has loved whales since before she could talk, thanks to many rewatches of the film Free Willy. The incredible diversity of marine mammal life in Monterey Bay is what pulled her to move to Monterey after graduating college with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behavior from the University of New England. Since 2021, she has worked as a wildlife photographer for Monterey Bay Whale Watch and is a part of the California Killer Whale Project; a non-profit that studies the population of Bigg’s transient killer whales that are seen along the California coast. Wildlife photography and conservation are her greatest passions; she strives to capture the little details, beauty, and intelligence of cetaceans in order to educate the public to protect and preserve them for future generations!
Sadie Hine
Shine Photography
email: shinesadie@gmail.com
Instagram: @shine_photography__
Website: shine-photography.com
Sadie is an award-winning wildlife photographer and illustrator based in Northern California. Her work focuses on coastal California ecosystems, including intertidal zones, dock fouling communities, and dunes. Through her photography, Sadie aims to draw attention to creatures that might otherwise go overlooked. Additionally, Sadie is an ambassador for Girls Who Click and a recent judge for the Audubon Photography Awards.