Photograph by Andy Hatton
Michaela Skovranova is a Slovakian born artist working in the field of photography and film. Her work focuses on capturing intimate environmental and human stories with a speciality in underwater capture. Her projects involve working as a freelance photographer, filmmaker, speaker and talent across Australia, Asia and Europe.
She completed the first-ever Facebook underwater live video in Australia on World Ocean's Day 2018, as part of National Geographic Australia' Planet or Plastic' campaign focusing on the impact plastic has on the marine ecosystem.
Her short films pick up the natural, ambient-lit storytelling where the images leave off with her latest short film “End of the World” which speaks to the devastating impacts of climate change in Antarctica premiering at TEDx Sydney 2020.
She has been featured in a National Geographic documentary Protecting Paradise (2019), a global National Geographic campaign "Uncover Antarctica" (2020) and featured in CuriosityStream’s 2021 original series "Nature Through Her Eyes"
Michaela is a National Geographic Expert and an OM System Ambassador. She runs regular photography and video workshops across Australia and overseas.
Her work has been published in The New York Times, National Geographic Magazine, TIME Magazine, The Guardian, Australian Geographic. Her commercial projects include OM SYSTEM, Sydney Opera House, City of Sydney and more.
Contact: mish@mishku.com.au
Instagram: @mishkusk
Selected Awards | Exhibitions
End of the World Exhibition 2022 The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies gallery
Nipaluna Lutruwita, Hobart Tasmania
Unhurried By Nature 2022 Selected works
Naarm, Melbourne Australia
Prints For Nature Group show and Online Auction 2022
$355,000 raised for Conservation International
Nature Through Her Eyes 2022
“End of the World” Film Screening
Cape Town, South Africa
TEDx Sydney 2020
The short film “End of the World” featured as part of TEDx Sydney 2020 event
Gadigal Land, Sydney Australia
TEDx Sydney 2019
The short film "Nature Love Stories" featured as part of TEDx Sydney 2019 event
Gadigal Land, Sydney Australia
Art for The Wilderness 2019 - Selected works
Art for The Wilderness exhibition and auction
Gadigal Land, Sydney Australia
Women Photograph 2018
Selected as one of Women Photograph mentors for the Women Photograph Mentorship Program 2018-2019.
This program pairs 22 industry leaders ( 11 photographers and 11 photo editors ) with 22 early-career photojournalists over a year.
Photoville 2017 - Selected works
Everyday Climate Change showcase
New York, USA
Instagram My Story Exhibition 2017 - Featured video piece
An initiative that celebrates the power and importance of the voices of fifteen female storytellers in Australia.
Naarm, Melbourne, Australia
Artpil 2015 30 UNDER 30 | WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS
Selected as one of Artpils 30 under 30 women photographers 2015.
Winner of The Art and About Australian Life Prize
Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia
Talent
OM SYSTEM Kacho Fugetsu (2023)
Curiosity Stream “Nature Through Her Eyes” (2021)
National Geographic x OPPO Uncover Antarctica (2020)
National Geographic Documentary “Protecting Paradise” (2019)
Instagram “Life Underwater with @mishkusk” (2019)
Publications
National Geographic - “Magical Images Reveal the Beauty and Raw Power of the Ocean”
The New York Times - “An Underwater Photographer Documents a Meditative World”
Disney - “Diving deep into the world of sharks with photographer Michaela Skovranova”
National Geographic - “The ever-changing white continent”
Greenpeace - “Underwater love: Why I’m in the fight for the Great Australian Bight”
My Modern Met - “Artistic Underwater Photos Capture the Mystery of the Sea”
Mashable Australia - "The wonders of life beneath the waves"
The Huffington Post - “This Is What It's Like To Free Dive With Whales”
Instagram - "Free-diving with Whales, Dolphins, and Australian photographer @mishkusk”
Daily Mail - “The spellbinding photographs that show hauntingly beautiful life under the ocean surface”
The Telegraph UK - "Synchronicity': Photo series exploring life under the sea"
The Sydney Morning Herald - "Australian art photographers explore underwater worlds"
Design Taxi - "Free Diving Photographer Snaps Mesmerizing Images Of Underwater Giants"
The Sydney Morning Herald - "Winner of Australian Life Prize"