The winners of the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 awards have been announced, featuring breathtaking underwater photographs that capture both the wonder and fragility of marine life. Thousands of photographers from around the world submitted their best shots for this prestigious competition, which is organized by Oceanographic Magazine and luxury watchmaker Blancpain.
The competition aims to showcase the magnificence and vulnerability of our planet's oceans through seven distinct categories. From daredevil surfers riding massive waves to endangered species fighting for survival, this year's winning photographs tell compelling stories about humanity's relationship with the sea.
In the Adventure category, photographer Ben Thouard captured two brave surfers battling treacherous waves in Nazaré, Portugal. Thouard described the challenging conditions: "It was a rough day in Nazaré. The wind was coming from the north, making surfing difficult. Not many surfers went out, but Justine Dupont and Eric Rebiere, whom I wanted to photograph, decided to give it a try. It was late afternoon, and the light was more interesting from the beach than from the usual cliff perspective. It was difficult to photograph anything because of the big sets and the salty air, but finally this moment presented itself."
The Human Connection category explores the complex relationship between humans and the ocean, including both positive interactions and darker issues like overfishing. The winning photograph by Craig Parry from Australia documents a tragic but moving scene - a stranded humpback whale captured from an aerial perspective. The image tells the story of a 15-hour rescue attempt that unfortunately ended unsuccessfully. Parry explained: "In the early morning hours of July 1st, we received a call about a stranded humpback whale. Wildlife veterinarian Steve Van Mill quickly assessed the situation and contacted SeaWorld Marine Rescue and other key organizations to launch a coordinated rescue operation. For 15 hours, rescue teams and the local community worked tirelessly in a joint effort to save her. Unfortunately, despite all the dedication, she could not be rescued. As sad as the outcome was, it was moving to experience the cooperation and compassion shown by numerous organizations and volunteers - a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together with a common goal."
Japanese marine researcher Takumi Oyama won the Wildlife category with his photograph of a female Yellow Pygmy Goby releasing freshly hatched larvae from its mouth into the water - an unusual behavior for gobies. Oyama, who specializes in fish reproductive ecology, noted: "This photo shows the larval release behavior during hatching in the Yellow Pygmy Goby. While paternal broodcare is common in gobies, unusually, female Yellow Pygmy Gobies also participate in broodcare. This individual is a female releasing freshly hatched larvae from its mouth into the water column."
The Impact category winner presents a stark and powerful image by Hugo Bret from the Faroe Islands, showing a lifeless pilot whale fetus beneath its mother's carcass. The photograph documents the controversial Grindadráp whale hunt, where more than 1,000 whales are killed annually, including juveniles and pregnant females. Bret criticized the practice, stating: "A pilot whale fetus lies lifeless under its mother's carcass in the Faroe Islands. Every year, more than 1,000 whales are killed during the Grindadráp - entire groups, including juveniles and pregnant females. Normally, fetuses are torn from the womb far away from the public, but this pregnant female went unnoticed and was gutted along with the others, making this deeply moving scene visible. While these hunts were once existential necessity, they are no longer subsistence practice today. I hope this image attracts worldwide attention to end the Grindadráp, and on a larger scale, initiates a rethinking of what humanity's relationship to other living beings should look like."
In the Fine Art category, Australian photographer Marcia Riederer's black and white photograph of a minke whale emerged victorious among particularly artistic submissions. The monochromatic composition demonstrated exceptional artistic vision in capturing marine life.
Twenty-five-year-old British underwater photographer and filmmaker Aaron Sanders was crowned Young Ocean Photographer of the Year for his captivating image of two intertwined squid. Sanders described the intimate scene: "Under cover of night, two tiny bobtail squid performed an intimate spectacle, their arms intertwined as they mated on the seafloor. Waves of color ran across their bodies as chromatophores pulsed in a captivating rhythm - white flickered to gold, gold to red and back again - transforming them into living, glowing jewels of darkness. These otherworldly beings performed their mating dance, creating the next generation of bobtail squid. I felt privileged to witness this rare and delicate moment. With careful approach, I documented this encounter without disturbing the pair, capturing their brilliant performance in all its intricate details."
The Hope category winner by Sirachai Arunrugstichai features a glass vessel containing an embryo of an Indo-Pacific leopard shark, representing conservation efforts at their finest. The image documents the breeding program at Aquaria Phuket, one of Thailand's largest private aquariums, which has produced over 40 juveniles of this endangered species since 2023. Arunrugstichai explained: "An aquarist holds a glass vessel containing an early-stage embryo of an Indo-Pacific leopard shark (Stegostoma tigrinum), whose egg capsule was removed for a breeding experiment at Aquaria Phuket, one of Thailand's largest private aquariums. Since 2023, the aquarium's staff-driven breeding program has produced over 40 juveniles of this endangered species, which is listed on the IUCN Red List. Aquaria Phuket is now working with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, ReShark, WildAid, Ocean Blue Tree, and private partners on the StAR project (Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery) Thailand to reintroduce these sharks into the wild starting in August 2025."
The opening photograph of the competition, taken by Antonio Bertran Regàs, creates a stunning optical illusion that initially appears to show a rocket launching into space but actually depicts a jellyfish. Regàs used a fisheye lens and carefully timed the shot at sunrise, utilizing Snell's Window to create an Earth-like backdrop with particles resembling stars. "I have always been fascinated by the similarity between jellyfish and rockets," Regàs explained. "I was looking for a photo that would convey this connection: a rocket leaving Earth. For this, I used a fisheye lens and took the photo exactly at sunrise. Snell's Window helped me create the Earth, the particles were the stars, and the sun fortunately appeared behind it. I don't think I'll ever be as close to space as I was that day."
These award-winning photographs collectively demonstrate the incredible diversity and beauty of marine environments while highlighting urgent conservation issues. The competition continues to serve as a powerful platform for raising awareness about ocean conservation and the critical need to protect marine ecosystems for future generations.
