A seahorse in a Bahamian pond has put Saskatchewan-born photographer Shane Gross on the cover of National Geographic.

Gross, who specializes in marine life photography, took the photo while in a pond in the Bahamas. The image features a seahorse floating in underwater weeds.

“I picked that seahorse because it wasn’t shy. All the elements were there for a good picture. Did I think it would end up on the cover of National Geographic? Absolutely not,” he explained to CTV News.

Gross said he has returned to the pond many times over the years. He has camped there for days at a time to put in the work needed to catch the right pictures.

“Some of the seahorses in there are very shy. You find the right seahorses that are curious and you can start to make some good pictures,” he said to CTV News.

His photography has taken him to all seven continents, most recently Antarctica.

Gross said the water there was so cold that he was only able to dive underwater for roughly 40 minutes at a time before his equipment began to freeze up.

He also had trouble getting the right shots because visibility was low. Gross said it was not until the final day of the trip that he was able to capture pictures of fur seals and penguins moving through the water.

“Having those penguins circle around us was one of those encounters you dream about and hope for,” he said.

Gross said he was a National Geographic reader as a child. At the time, he said the idea of being part of the magazine in some way felt farfetched.

For people who want to pursue top-quality photography and possibly be featured in well-known magazines, Gross said focusing on a specific subject is the best approach.

“They need people who are passionate about a certain thing. To be able to withstand the hardships that you go through when you are shooting these things. It’s passion that gets you through that,” he told CTV News.

📸credit: National Geographic/Shane Gross