Indonesian-based macro photographer Yury Ivanov has been crowned the winner of Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 for his extraordinary image capturing two tiny "ladybugs of the sea" in perfect synchronization. His winning photograph beat more than 15,000 other submissions from photographers around the world, showcasing the remarkable beauty of underwater life that often goes unnoticed.

Ivanov's award-winning image features two amphipods from the Cyproideidae family, each measuring only around 3 millimeters in body length, resting delicately on a coral. These miniature creatures, commonly known as ladybugs of the sea, display striking coloration and symmetry that required exceptional patience and precision to capture properly. The photographer took the stunning shot at his local dive site in Bali, Indonesia, using careful composition and lighting techniques to reveal an intimate glimpse of underwater life.

"Winning Ocean Photographer 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 result of his meticulous work provides viewers with a rare window into the microscopic world beneath the waves.

The competition also announced nine category winners, each showcasing different aspects of marine photography and ocean conservation. In the Action category, Ben Thouard captured the drama of surfing during challenging conditions at Nazaré. "A rough Nazaré day. The wind came from the north which made the surf tricky," Thouard explained. "Not many surfers went out and it was hard to shoot anything because of the big sets but eventually, this."

Jialing Cai took home the Female Fifty Fathoms category award with her image of a larval pufferfish roughly the size of a thumbnail. "Although adult pufferfish are typically found around coral reefs, they begin life as plankton, drifting in the open ocean before eventually settling to the seafloor," Cai noted. The Fine Art category winner, Marcia Riederer, captured a dwarf minke whale curiously eyeing the photographer, noting that "these whales are known to visit the northern Great Barrier Reef during the winter, making it the only known predictable aggregation of the species in the world."

The Wildlife category showcased remarkable animal behavior through Takumi Oyama's photograph of a female yellow pygmy goby releasing newly hatched larvae from her mouth. "In gobiid fishes, male parental care is common. In the yellow pygmy goby, however, the females also participate in parental hatching care," Oyama explained. Craig Parry's Human Connection category winner documented people attempting to rescue a stranded humpback whale, capturing both tragedy and compassion. "For 15 hours, they worked tirelessly," Parry said. "Sadly, she could not be saved, but the compassion shown is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together."

Matthew Sullivan dominated the Portfolio category with three stunning images showcasing Florida's marine life. His collection included a polka-dot batfish lying on the seabed, which he described as "notoriously difficult to photograph" despite being common in Florida waters. After years of attempting to capture the perfect shot, Sullivan finally succeeded when one individual "seemed relaxed, and I was able to finally take a head-on portrait." His portfolio also featured a nearly 12-foot American alligator resting motionless in a cypress swamp and a curious manatee in a spring-fed river that "like a puppy, followed me around for hours."

The Hope category winner, Sirachai Arunrugstichai, documented conservation efforts at Aquaria Phuket, showing an aquarist holding an early-stage embryo of an Indo-Pacific leopard shark. "Since 2023, the aquarium's breeding program has produced over 40 pups of this Endangered species," Arunrugstichai reported, highlighting successful conservation initiatives. In stark contrast, Hugo Bret's Impact category winner presented the harsh reality of whale hunting in the Faroe Islands, showing a long-finned pilot whale fetus under its mother's corpse. "Each year, more than 1,000 cetaceans are killed during grindadráp, the slaughter of entire whale groups, including juveniles and pregnant females," Bret stated.

The Young category was won by Aaron Sanders, who captured two tiny bobtail squid in an intimate mating display under the cover of night. "Waves of color rippled across their bodies as chromatophores pulsed in a mesmerizing rhythm," Sanders described, showcasing the next generation of talented ocean photographers.

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 distributed over $13,500 worth of equipment to the winners, recognizing their exceptional contributions to marine photography. The competition's impact extends beyond awards, with exhibitions planned to showcase these remarkable images to broader audiences. An exhibition will be featured at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in the UK on March 28, 2026, while the first international Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition will open at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on November 6. All winning images can be viewed on the Oceanographic website, allowing people worldwide to appreciate the beauty and importance of our oceans.