Hi, I'm Ivan! I'm a lifelong freediver from Croatia with an endless fascination for marine mammals. I started underwater states as an Instagram page back in 2017 shortly after buying my first underwater camera rig, with the idea of sharing my freediving photos with the world.

Like a strangely satisfying curse, cameras and diving gear have been following me across the globe ever since, testing the carry-on allowances and general common sense along the way. With almost no exceptions, my trips abroad regularly involve diving and photo-taking.

Seeking unique experiences and visuals has taken me to some of the most beautiful corners of our Planet where I got to meet wonderful, passionate people of a similar pursuit and observe some of the most iconic and charismatic marine species.

Freediving was a great facilitator in all of this as it gave me an ability to approach wildlife undisturbingly, but also compelled me to practice underwater photography using a minimal setup and relying on ambient light only.

Today underwater states is my outlet for documenting swimming with whales (mainly orcas), organizing trips and sharing my thoughts on diving, photography and wildlife. A big part of my mission is to connect my guests and my virtual audience with cetaceans - and in this way inspire them to care for and preserve the natural world. Equally important, I'm continuously striving to pay forward what I've learned from others by sharing my knowledge and experience.

If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to get in touch. In the meantime I hope you enjoy my content.

— Ivan Breslauer