14 award-winning images of our mighty oceans
Second place, Human Connection. This photo was taken on April 1, 2024, off Point No Point, WA. In Puget Sound, there’s a community of people who prefer watching orcas from the land rather than from boats. Land-based whale watchers in Puget Sound can sometimes get lucky, as these wild apex predators occasionally approach the shore, seemingly curious about their human spectators. My friend is one of those land-based whale enthusiasts, and April 1, 2024, was no ordinary day for her. More than 20 Bigg’s orcas were traveling into Puget Sound, and she stood at Point No Point, hoping for a close encounter. As the orca pods passed by one after another, T099C, a male known as Barakat, decided to do some “people watching” of his own. He repeatedly breached near the shore, and one of his most spectacular jumps happened right in front of my friend. Her 500mm lens was definitely too long for a male orca breaching less than 100 meters away, but fortunately, I was on a boat that day documenting the orcas. When Barakat leapt out of the water in front of her, I managed to capture the moment. In the photo, my friend is the one on the left, the lady on her right is someone she met on her very first land-based whale-watching adventure, and Barakat is mid-air, breaching in front of them. This photo not only captures the bond between two friends but also highlights how close humans and orcas can come to one another in these wild waters. These orcas aren’t afraid of us; in fact, they sometimes seem intrigued. And that’s just one more reason why we need to protect these incredible creatures.
Credit: Yifan Ling / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
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Soaring orcas, curious grey whales, and a toothy alligator—the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year awards showcase the enchanting beauty of Earth’s waters.
Indonesia-based photographer Yury Ivanov took top honors for his image (seen below) of two tiny, lady bug-looking amphipods chilling on coral. The incredible photo took an immense amount of patience to capture. “The result reveals an intimate glimpse of underwater life that is often overlooked,” Ivanov said.
Two amphipods from the Cyproideidae family, each only measuring around 3 millimetres in body length, rest on a coral. Commonly called ‘ladybugs of the sea’, these tiny creatures display striking colouration and symmetry. “It required a lot of patience and precision to compose and light the shot properly,” says Ivanov.
Location: Indonesia
Credit: Yury Ivanov / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 Yury Ivanov
Ivanov’s photograph won over more than 15,000 images submitted to this year’s contest. “Winning OceanPhotographer of the Year is an incredible feeling; I’m deeply grateful for the recognition,” Ivanov said. “This award is not just about one image, but about celebrating the ocean itself — its fragility, its diversity, and its extraordinary power to inspire us.”
The Ocean Photographer of the Year is presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain.
Curious grey whales inspect a boat. “The behaviours exhibited by grey whales in their mating and
calving lagoons in Baja California are unlike anything else seen around the world,” says
Subramaniam. “They have a remarkable curiosity.”
Location: Mexico
Credit: Kaushiik Subramaniam / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
In the middle of a Nordic winter, snow-clad mountains and islands frame the Reine fishing village. “The image captures the Arctic’s silent romance – a harmony of solitude and the oceanic rhythm,” says Li.
Location: Norway
Credit: Jianping Li / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
Fuji 268, one of Taiwan’s last fire fishing boats, ignites a fireball to startle sardines off New Taipei. “By
2023, it was the sole survivor of this national cultural heritage of Taiwan,” says Arunrugstichai.
Location: Taiwan
Credit: Sirachai Arunrugstichai / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 Sirachai Arunrugstichai
A diver shows the dimensions of a cenote in Cancun. “I wanted to capture the entire view from the cenote’s entrance in a single frame, so I positioned myself at the very back for the shot,” says Yul Park.
Location: Mexico
Credit: Jeong Yul Park / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
A perfect tube at Teahupo’o frames a surfer. “The curve of the wave looks like a giant eye, with the surfer becoming its iris,” says Lenfant. “In this moment, the surfer merges with this natural work of art.”
Location: French Polynesia
Credit: Marc Lenfant / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
Freediver Surya Lecona Moctezuma dives down in between light beams in a cenote. Verhoeven says: “I tried to capture the contrast between the light and dark areas, as well as the sudden appearance of linear geometry in a natural setting.”
Location: Mexico
Credit: Daan Verhoeven / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
A freediver, accompanied by two humpback whales, maintains a respectful distance. “Social media has recently been flooded with images of people getting very close to wildlife,” says Herrero. “This photo emphasizes the importance of maintaining safe distances and acting ethically.”
Location: French Polynesia
Credit: Alvaro Herrero / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
A pair of humpback whales. “These two humpback whales are always seen together, and I was fortunate to capture this rare moment of synchronicity,” says Takahashi. “This photo reflects the strong bond between them while revealing their playful personalities.”
Location: French Polynesia
Credit: Yuka Takahashi / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
Followed by a school of bait fish, a whale shark rises from the depths of the ocean. “I had always hoped to capture a photo with a whale shark surrounded by bait fish,” remembers Pyke. “This day, I got lucky.”
Location: NINGALOO REEF, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Credit: Brooke Pyke / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 BROOKE PYKE
A mating ritual between three tawny nurse sharks. “Two males were chasing a female, dancing in courtship at night,” says Pyke. “I captured the movement in the dark with a slow shutter speed, strobes, and video lights.”
Location: BAA ATOLL, MALDIVES
Credit: Brooke Pyke / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
Taken under permit, this photograph of a manatee in a spring-fed river showcases the animal’s curiosity. “The river is home to a population of manatees. Like a puppy, this individual followed me around for hours,” says Sullivan.
Location: FLORIDA, USA
Credit: Matthew Sullivan / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 matthew sullivan
Resting on the bottom of a cypress swamp, a large American alligator lies motionless. “Almost 12ft long, she never moved a muscle for over an hour,” says Sullivan. “The setting sun darkened the water, upping the intimidation factor of those big white teeth.”
Location: FLORIDA, USA
Credit: Matthew Sullivan / Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025
matthew sullivan
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