What lies beneath: filming gators in Florida springs

If you're like me, you've been anxiously searching for any relief from the Bad News™ and endless stream of AI slop plaguing your feed. Joseph Ricketts' breathtaking wildlife videos could be the antidote. An alligator taking a nap on the floor of a crystal clear spring. Schools of fish glittering in the darkness. A cosmic cloud of burnt orange tannic river swirling into clear blue water. A giant salamander battle on an Appalachian riverbed.

Joseph is an ecologist, underwater videographer, and alligator researcher based in Florida. He brings a calming and curious gaze to some of the more obscure underwater vistas through his work as a scientist and wildlife researcher, with his photography and videography skills. With his undersea strobes, he casts light on the mesmerizing behavior of some of the more obscure creatures that lurk below the water's surface, creating beautiful videos while educating his audience on the vulnerable wildlife he finds there. Documenting Florida's natural springs and America's freshwater ecosystems has become a passion project. The Verge caught up with him to learn about his fascinating YouTube content.

This interview has been edited for length and …

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