SNAP-CHAT

Isaac Szabo talks hellbenders, chub nests and bears on the roof

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How did your career start?

I had a tropical aquarium as a young adult, and began to wonder what kind of fish might be living in my local streams. I decided to find out by sampling streams with a dip net and soon became captivated by the diversity of form, colour and behaviour of freshwater life. Snorkelling with and photographing fish in the wild was much more fun than keeping them in aquariums.

Why focus on the freshwater world?

It's a world that is rarely seen. While the beauty of coral reefs is widely recognised, many people are unaware of the fascinating activity that happens in a freshwater stream.

What's been your most memorable wildlife shoot?

I spent a month filming hellbenders with a couple of friends in the mountains of North Carolina. Hellbenders are giant (60cm) aquatic salamanders with beady eyes, wide mouths and wrinkled skin, through which they absorb oxygen from the water. Observing the same individuals as they progressed through the breeding season made me feel a strong connection to them.

What’s been your most memorable experience underwater?