There can be magic in photographing women.
Skovranova, who contributes to the @natgeo Ins-
tagram account, says she is enchanted by the com-
bination of strength, playfulness, and camaraderie
she sees in women; it’s a chemistry that often yields
warm and inspiring photos. An environmental pho-
tographer specializing in underwater scenes who
likes to free dive—that is, hold her breath rather
than use a breathing apparatus—Skovranova was
swimming one day off Sydney’s Shelly Beach. She
watched a group of young women dive gleefully
under the waves, laughing and cavorting together.
“I feel like this gentle encouragement and playful-
ness is a beautiful part of womanhood,” she says.WHO
A photojournalist based in
Australia, Skovranova special-
izes in stories of humans and
the environment.
WHERE
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic
Reserve near Sydney, Australia
WHAT
Taken with an Olympus E-M5
Mark II and 9-18mm lens in
an underwater housingIMAGES FROM OUR PHOTOGRAPHERSThis page showcases images from National Geographic’s Instagram accounts. We’re the most popular
brand on Instagram, with more than 127 million followers; join them at instagram.com/natgeo.INSTAGRAM
MICHAELA SKOVRANOVA136 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC