JUAN CAMILO MORA

My name is Juan Camilo Mora, and I’m from Colombia, a country where nature is not something distant, but something you grow up feeling all around you. I Studied biology, driven by a deep curiosity for the natural world. After university, I began teaching at a high school, sharing that passion with others. A couple of years later, that path opened the door to travel. I worked in Kazakhstan, and later, while backpacking, I found myself in Southeast Asia, where my life took a different direction. But my love for the ocean had started long before that. When I was 13 years old, I did my first scuba dive. I remember the feeling so clearly, the silence, the weightlessness, the sense of entering another world. I was instantly amazed. I even remember saying, “One day I’ll have long white hair, and I’ll live on a tropical island working as a dive instructor.” It didn’t take that long for that to become true… except for the white hair part

I ended up living in Thailand, working as a dive instructor for two years. Later, I moved to Baja, Mexico, where I spent five years leading expeditions, exploring the ocean, and deepening my connection with the natural world. Somewhere along that journey, my camera became more than just a tool, it became a voice. A way to tell stories. To connect people with ecosystems and species they may never encounter firsthand. To show not only beauty, but meaning. Fragility. Importance. As a biologist, I understand the science behind what I see. As a storyteller, I feel the responsibility to translate it. Today, I’m back in Colombia, where together with my partner, I co-founded Makau Expeditions. Our mission is simple: to connect souls with nature, creating conscious and responsible travellers through meaningful experiences in the wild. I believe that we only protect what we love, and we only love what we understand. And as long as I can hold a camera, I will use it to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Instagram: @jcmoraphotography