Ocean Photographer of the Year shows beauty of the planet

See dazzling depictions of sea creatures big and small in this exhibition that peels back the curtain on the magic of our underwater world.

A vast and mysterious realm lies beneath the skin of the ocean. The Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of the blue planet’s vast beauty through images captured by some of the world’s best marine photographers. The annual competition has entrants from around the world in nine categories, with a winner selected in each, as well as three winners selected overall. Sydney‘s Australian National Maritime Museum has produced the world premiere exhibition of the awards, with the works of all winners and finalists on display now. Check out the three winning photographs below.

First place

The overall winner was Jialing Cai from Chongqing, China, with her photograph of a female paper nautilus in the waters of Batangas Bay, Philippines after the Taal Volcano eruption. Cai captured the winning image while scuba diving at night, “when I pressed the shutter, the particles reflected my light.

The scene felt unusually serene following the natural disaster and reminds me of a fairytale set in a snowy night,” says Cai. Although Cai mentions that ordinarily, her goal is to shoot in clear waters, this image reminds us that grains of sand, organic matter, or tiny organisms are integral parts of the underwater environment. I aim to accept their presence and seek non-disruptive ways to incorporate them into my images.

Jialing Cai won first place for her photograph of a female paper nautilus in the waters of Batangas Bay.

Second place

The snap awarded second place was also captured in the Philippines, by Russian photographer Andrei Savi. Savi’s breathtaking portrait of an anemone and crab was captured while the photographer was observing marine life. “Each [anemone] is like an apartment building with many different inhabitants establishing different relationships,” Savi says. “That day, I took dozens of shots of anemone … Suddenly, as if by magic, a crab came out and sat right in the centre. I just had to press the button.”

Russian photographer Andrei Savi placed third for his snap of an anemone and crab in the Philippines.

Third place

Third place went to Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero Lopez-Beltran for his heartbreaking capture of a humpback whale with its tail entangled in ropes and buoys off the coast of Baja California Sur in Mexico.

“The image is a sad metaphor for the slow and painful death that we are causing to our planet and the oceans,” says the photographer. “This has been the saddest moment I have experienced in the ocean. On the one hand, I felt great sadness and hopelessness. On the other hand, I’m glad I had my camera to capture this sad image to show the world what we’re doing. I hope that this image generates enough impact to produce real change”.

Alvaro Herrero Lopez-Beltran placed third for his heartbreaking capture of a humpback whale.

Visitors can witness more than 100 thought-provoking photographs of the blue planet from wildlife and seascapes at the Australian National Maritime Museum. On now until 26 May 2024.