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Carlos Estape and Allison Morgan Estape are underwater photographers who take live, in-situ, taxonomically diagnostic images of neotropical reef-fishes.  Their library, with over 80,000 images of 1,000+ neotropical reef-fish species, is one of the most comprehensive libraries documenting Eastern Pacific and Greater Caribbean reef-fishes. ​ The Smithsonian Institution recognized their image library as “a priceless heritage” that “will only become more valuable in the future as documentation of marine life today.” 

 

They were awarded the Smithsonian's first ever Citizen Science Award for their: ​

• “outstanding contributions to the Smithsonian Institution’s research”

• “exceptional talents as field photographers”,  and

• “extraordinary work to capture images of live marine fishes in different parts of the Caribbean and Tropical Eastern Pacific”.

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Their current project is photo-documenting fish species in the Greater Caribbean and Eastern Pacific for an update to the Smithsonian’s Fishes: East Pacific and Fishes: Greater Caribbean websites & apps. 

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​They have co-authored 8 scientific papers; contributed 1,000s of images to research, scientific publications, and educational materials; discovered new fish species; and co-lead Joint Scientific - Photographic Expeditions to photo-document and collect fish species for research and inclusion in world re-known fish collections.  

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Their images have been featured in scientific publications, museums, fish ID & children’s books, magazines, websites, aquariums, restaurants, private collections and used as templates for tattoos!

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They are featured speakers at marine themed lecture series, events & festivals.

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We hope you enjoy our websi te and are inspired to become citizen scientists.