A seagull riding atop a turtle, a monkfish preying on a torpedo ray and drying fishing nets in coastal China’s Fujian region.
These golden photographs are on the list of contenders for Ocean Photographer of the Year and each one is truly breathtaking.
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The artwork of these photographers manages to shine a light on the unfiltered connection of species and the beauty that exists in these organic moments.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year highlights the wonders and frailty of the planet while celebrating the photographers capturing these spectacles.
Over 15 000 submissions had initially been received but ultimately a total of 105 images were selected as contenders.
The overall winner, category winners and the recipient of the Female Fifty Fathoms Award will be announced on 12 September.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year will host its first exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on 28 November.
Additional venues will also be added in the beginning of 2025.
The full gallery of finalists may be viewed here.
Fine Art and Wildlife
‘After about five hours of searching, we saw this seagull and noticed that its legs weren’t underwater. We approached slowly with the boat and suddenly realised that it was standing on a sea turtle’ said photographer Enric Gener to Forbes.
‘It’s impossible not to marvel at the uniqueness of these creatures’ says the photographer, Fernandez Caballero, as he continues to describe iguanas as living dinosaurs and a testament to the endless transformations of life on this planet.
This image was taken in Mexico’s Baja California Sur, all the way from the sky, in what photographer Merche Llobera describes as ‘a well-coordinated dance.’
Giant Pacific octopuses are known to rush to shallow water in late autumn, when the temperature of the water drops. This phenomenon has been happening for years and the reason remains unknown, says photographer Andrey Shpatak.
Set in the Bahamas, a nurse shark is caught swimming through a large school of jackfish. Katherine Lu, the photographer, said that the action created a striking composition.
Filippo Borghi, the photographer, states that the anglerfish was caught swallowing an entire torpedo ray, which appeared to be a large meal for the predator.
Young Photographer
Above, a perfectly camouflaged lizardfish swims with its prey in its mouth. The photographer, Joao Pontes, commented that sometimes these fish have eyes bigger than their stomachs.
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People and Planet Blue
The fishermen in coastal China’s Fujian region dry their fishing nets in a rather remarkable manner. These woven hemp fibres tend to swell after being immersed in water.
Conservation Impact
In the Isle of Noss, a gannet, caught in discarded fishing gear, hangs off a cliff. ‘No words are needed to tell this gannet’s story’ says photographer Rebecca Douglas.
A polar bear on Kiepert Island, Svalbard, is spotted playing with a piece of plastic. This serves as a reminder that even remote destinations in the Arctic are not immune to the invasive reach of plastic pollution.
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Picture: Tom Shlesinger / Oceanographic