A sea lion plows through an explosive bait ball of fish off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Days can be long and rough at sea, but the rewards can be spectacular.

Pier Nirandara is an award-winning author, travel writer, film producer, and underwater photographer. She began her career as Thailand’s youngest English-writing author of three #1 national bestselling novels, graphic novels, and short stories with over 200,000 copies sold. Since then, she has represented literary clients at ICM Partners, served as Director of Development at Sony Pictures, and as VP of Film & TV at A-Major Media, Hollywood’s first Asian American-driven production company.

Her photography has been recognized by competitions including Ocean Photographer of the Year, and she was awarded the 2023 Ocean Storytelling Photography Grant by the Save Our Seas Foundation. An advocate for solo female travel, she has visited over 100 countries across 7 continents, and can be found in Los Angeles, Cape Town.

Follow Pier on Instagram @piersgreatperhaps.