Darryl Torckler is the eldest of three sons and was born in Whangarei in 1956. He grew up in many different parts of Auckland before his family eventually settled on the North Shore where he attended Rangitoto College. Darryl grew up with a fascination for fish – his bedroom was covered with his own fish paintings – and he turned this interest into a life-long profession.

Darryl has been diving and photographing fish, beaches and nature for three decades. As a result, he knows all the tricks for finding and getting up close to creatures in their wild habitats. Darryl enjoys finding new and interesting ways to illustrate New Zealand’s natural world. Whether it is through the life-size montages he creates for the Real-Size Guides or the panoramic images he produced for Maria Gill’s Bird’s Eye View.

Darryl’s marine photographs have won international acclaim and many awards. Most of Darryl’s books have been written by his wife, Gillian Torckler, who shares similar passions for the ocean and its life. They live surrounded by native bush, and the animals they’ve encountered there have become another focus of their books. Darryl aims to spark children’s interest and awareness of New Zealand’s native animals – above and below the tide line – through colourful and interesting photography.