[Photo provided to China Daily]

Acknowledged as a pioneer blackwater photographer in China, he has more than 430,000 followers of his account on micro-blogging service Sina Weibo. He also opened accounts on short-video sharing platforms Bilibili and Douyin.

"Through my lens, I hope to raise awareness on marine conservation and protection and that more people can enjoy the beauty of the ocean," Zhang says.

A follower, called Yunlan, comments that Zhang presents impressive photos and information about marine life and shares his observations on the relationship between humans and the ocean.

Zhang is a regular contributor to Chinese National Geography magazine and a contracted photographer to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program. He has published several books and was invited to photograph the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013.

Shan Zhiqiang, editor-in-chief of Chinese National Geography, is often impressed by his unique photos. "Zhang is good at capturing the beauty of our oceans in the inkyblack waters," Shan writes on his Sina Weibo account.