Whale feeding wins Ocean Photographer of the year award

A striking photo of a rare Bryde’s whale about to consume a heart-shaped bait ball, by photographer Rafael Fernández Caballero, has won the Ocean Photographer of the Year award.

Caballero’s picture was chosen from more than 15,000 images submitted by professional and amateur photographers.

The competition, presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain, aims to reveal the wonder of the ocean and the many plights it faces.

Jade Hoksbergen was named runner-up with a mesmerising image of a northern gannet, one of the largest seabirds in British waters, diving to catch its prey in waters near Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands, Scotland.

Third place was awarded to Thien Nguyen Ngoc for an aerial shot of a fishing boat in Hon Yen, Vietnam.

Its long trail of smoke perfectly aligns with the shape of the green nets under the surface.

The recipient of this year’s Female Fifty Fathoms Award was Malaysian photographer Ipah Uid Lynn.

Her winning portfolio included shots of a tiny goby, a skeletal shrimp, fishermen, divers, and a school of batfish swimming in unison in Koh Tao, Thailand.

The Female Fifty Fathoms Award was created in 2021 by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain to celebrate pioneering and boundary pushing women in ocean photography.

“It’s a recognition that goes beyond personal achievement,” said Lynn.

“It highlights the importance of storytelling through photography and the voices of women in this field. I’m truly humbled and inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of what I can capture and share with the world.”

Jacob Guy was named Young Ocean Photographer of the Year for a compelling image of an elusive algae octopus showing off its fluorescence under ultraviolet light in waters off North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Manuel Castellanos Raboso was the Wildlife category winner with a picture of a mahimahi (common dolphinfish) displaying its catch amid a feeding frenzy in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

“The bait ball was semi-static, allowing us to spend some time in the water with these fish, moving like torpedoes in front of us,” said Castellanos Raboso.

“This scene captures the essence of the hunt and the energy of Baja’s marine life.”

The Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year award went to Henley Spiers for an image of juvenile Munk’s devil rays attracted by a green light, taken in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

“At night we hung a green light from the back of our boat, [and] as plankton gathered around it the rays gratefully swooped in for a microscopic buffet,” explained Spiers.

Tobias Friedrich triumphed in the Adventure category with an impressive image of a scuba diver dwarfed by a shipwreck in the Bahamas.

The Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope) award went to Shane Gross for his image of a green sea turtle being released by a researcher in the Seychelles.

Researchers took measurements and tagged the turtle before releasing it back into the water.

The Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact) award went to Frederik Brogaard.

A fin whale lies waiting for its turn to be butchered at a whaling plant in Iceland before being sent to Japan.

“The picture might induce a feeling of hopelessness, but public uproar throughout the last two years has resulted in the cancellation of last year’s whaling season in Iceland,” said Brogaard.

The Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean, went to Zhang Xiang for a delightful shot of a beach bathed in the golden haze of sunset while a fisherman wades through the water.

Shane Gross scooped the Ocean Portfolio Award with work that included images of a crested sculpin, endangered chupare stingray and baby plainfin midshipman fish, still attached to their yolk sacs.

An exhibition of all the winners will open at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, on 28 November 2024.