A marine biologist on California’s Monterey Bay, Giancarlo regularly kayaks alongside whales. These particularly lively members of the species were diving 400 feet below to a submarine canyon when he captured their graceful movements. As he told Storyful, “having 15 humpbacks surface… breathe, rest, vocalise and dive under my kayak was the most magical and spiritual encounter I have had in my 20 years at sea”. Credit: Giancarlo Thomae