THEY had to battle extreme weather in one of Australia's most remote corners, but an intrepid Aussie team have become the first to capture professional photographs of the reclusive flatback turtle.

The ocean giant, which can swim at speeds of up to 24km/h and grows to an impressive 1.2m in length, was only identified as a separate species in 1988.

The photos, published by Australian Geographic, were captured by turtle researcher Hannah Seward and renowned photographer Doug Perrine in coastal waters in northern Western Australia.

Blistering heat and scorching wind required the pair to protect every inch of their bodies as they made their way to a spot the turtles share with fearsome predators including tiger sharks, hammerheads, saltwater crocodiles and deadly jellyfish.

"We covered every inch of skin to avoid severe sunburn or heatstroke," Ms Seward said.

"Crazy it may be, but we need direct sunlight for maximum visibility underwater and, with storm warnings out, it was now or never if we want to achieve an 11-year dream of capturing the first professional underwater photographs of an adult flatback sea turtle."

After an extensive search the pair finally found a female flatback, which will eventually weigh up to 84kg when fully grown, slowly winning its trust as they convinced it to stop hiding in the sand and take to the open water.

"What a fantastic feeling to finally interact with this precious turtle and emerge from the perilous ocean with all limbs fully intact," Ms Seward said.