Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025

The very best from this year's Oceanographic Magazine awards

Welcome to another edition of Seascapes – a collection of incredible oceanic artwork and photography. 

Let’s dive in 🎨

The power of photography to inspire change is undeniable, especially when it comes to ocean conservation. A single photograph can simultaneously raise awareness, outline the growing impact humans have on the natural world, gather scientific data, document biodiversity, and forge connections between viewer and marine life worlds away. 

This is what the Oceanographic Magazine aims to celebrate in their annual Ocean Photographer of the Year awards. 

The competition invites photographers of all levels to submit their most impactful ocean imagery to then be judged by a panel of experts. The images rewarded are often those that tell a story, highlight environmental challenges, or move people to act.

The much-deserved 2025 winner was just announced but celebrations of all submissions are ongoing. 

Here are some of my favourites.

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The winner

“Ladybugs of the sea” by Yury Ivanov; Bali, Indonesia

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This year’s youngest Grindadráp victim

A powerful image by Hugo Bret, winner of the Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year, exposes even more depths to the brutality of the Faroese grindadráp. Once for necessity but now for sport, the hunts face growing local opposition.

Ultimately, none of this needs to be said. The photograph very much speaks for itself.

A long-finned pilot whale foetus by Hugo Bret; Faroe Islands

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Thousands of Skeleton shrimps colonising a gorgonian coral by Alexis Chappuis; North Sulawesi, Indonesia

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A pea crab by Andrey Shpatak; Rudnaya Bay, Russia

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Bigg’s orca T065B3 also known as 'Rook' by Yifan Ling; near Bird Rocks, Washington

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A dwarf seahorse by Richard Smith; Florida, USA

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Fine Art Photographer of the Year

A tiny juvenile candy crab by Jade Hoksbergen; Philippines

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Dwarf minke whale by Marcia Riederer; Great Barrier Reef

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The thick layer of fur on a Weddell seal by Scott Portelli; Antarctica

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A small lonely penguin by Romain Barats; Antarctica

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A sea turtle swimming amongst the iron-rich substances of a volcano by Hitomi Tsuchiya; near Mount Iwo on Satsuma-Iōjima Island, Japan

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A curious female whale by Joaquin Fregoni; French Polynesia

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Adventure Photographer of the Year

'Melchizedek' by Gergo Rugli; Bronte Beach, Australia

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Swimming with sperm whales by Romain Barats; Dominica

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Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year (winner)

An early-stage embryo of an Indo-Pacific Leopard shark by Sirachai Arunrugstichai; Thailand

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Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year

Later discarded as waste by Julia Ochs; Spain

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Krill extraction by Youenn Kerdavid; Antarctica

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Over 100 million sharks are killed each year by humans by Daniel Flormann; West Papau, Indonesia

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A 200 million year old prehistoric animal and trash that humans have created by Jesse Miller; Washington, USA

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Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

Whale watchers in Puget Sound by Yifan Ling; USA

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Young Photographer of the Year

A delicate jet by Théo Guillaume; French Polynesia

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Amie 🐋