From a very early age I have had the great privilege to travel the world, learning about new cultures, practicing different languages, and, of course, scuba diving (a lot). I have also lived in some of my favorite places, perfectly suited for nature lovers, from my homeland, Dominican Republic, to my dream land, South Africa, and having ultimately found a home in Cozumel. Over the years, much greater than the memories I have been creating, I have learned valuable lessons from the cultures, people, ecosystems and their inhabitants, some of which I have been lucky to photograph. Despite having a background in psychology and being a therapist for many years in Boston, nature kept pulling me until I eventually changed careers to pursue my main love: the ocean. I studied photography in Spain and have since been mentored by my favorite underwater photographer and stepdad. Together we co-own a fine art and conservation photography company, Alvarez+Coll Photo, which has allowed us to collaborate in environmental projects, educational documentaries, art exhibitions in several countries and our recent coffee table book UNDER WATER. We have also found homes across the world for many of our images expressed in fine art materials, and carrying the message of the beauty of nature with them. As an artist, I identified photography as my favorite form of expression. However, beyond allowing me to document the elusive and breathtaking underwater world, what fills my heart the most is experimenting with different in-camera techniques, mixing mediums and expressing in my art not only what I see but what I feel. It is my hope that my art will inspire others to fall in love with nature the way I have, and to encourage the protection of this beautiful world we have the privilege to share.