Stunning images of polar bears, humpback whales, turtles, sharks and other marine life are vividly captured in the winning photographs in this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year.
25-year-old marine biologist and amateur photographer Jialing Cai has been named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 for her stunning image of a paper nautilus drifting on a piece of ocean debris taken on a blackwater dive in the wake of a volcanic eruption in the Phillippines.
Winner: Jialing Cai / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Cai was inspired to start photographing on blackwater dives after learning about diel vertical migration, when zooplankton move from the deep ocean to the surface at night. “That hit me like lightning,” said Cai. “My professor was telling me the deep sea was within my reach, that it would come to me. That realization was mind-blowing. It’s why [I’ve become] so obsessed with blackwater photography.”
Andrei Savin was named runner-up with his astonishing image of a crab sat in the middle of a sea anemone.
2nd place: Andrei Savin / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Third place was awarded to Alvaro Herrero Lopez-Beltran for his distressing but thought-provoking image of an entangled whale. The whale struggles on, its flukes severely damaged as a result of continued entanglement.
3rd place: Alvaro Herrero López-Beltrán / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Other winners include images of an airborne penguins, a lizardfish that’s bitten off more than it can chew and a playful polar bear. The competition is produced by Oceanographic Magazine with the goal to “to shine a light on the beauty of the ocean and the threats it faces.”
Thousands of photographs were submitted by the planet’s best ocean photographers. Take a look at the other winning images below:
Wildlife Category
A lizardfish’s open mouth reveals its last meal. The Philippines
Winner: Jack Pokoj
A gentoo penguin, the fastest penguin species in the world, charges across the water. Antarctica
Second place: Craig Parry / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A humpback whale lands gracefully on its back after launching its enormous frame out of the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Third place: Nicholas Holton, Australia / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A group of humpback whales and their calves feed amongst a stunning backdrop of icebergs. Greenland
Highly commended: Michael Haluwana / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Illuminated by the Arctic sun, a polar bear walks across a glacier that is adorned by a waterfall.Arctic
Highly commended: Michael Haluwana / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A curious nurse shark peaks above the water line to investigate the photographer’s presence.The Bahamas
Highly commended: Remuna Beca / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A rarely photographed juvenile prowfish hides behind a curtain of a lion’s mane jellyfish’s stinging tentacles. North Pacific Ocean
Highly commended: Shane Gross / Ocean Photographer of the Year
As the afternoon sun sets, a pair of king penguins draw a striking pose against the pink sky. Falkland Islands
Highly commended: Scott Portelli / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A blue-footed booby rises up amongst vast sardine shoals with a fish in its beak. Baja California Sur, Mexico
Highly commended: Henley Spiers / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A portrait of an actively hunting octopus reveals numerous motion lines. Indonesia
Highly commended: Ollie Clarke / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A super pod of spinner dolphins swim in unison. Costa Rica
Highly commended: Merche Llobera / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A rare encounter: four green sea turtles serenely swim together in a single frame. Hawaii
Highly commended: Renee Capazzola / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Adventure Category
While surfing North Shore’s famous Banzai Pipeline, a rainbow appears. O’ahu, Hawaii
Winner: Todd Glaser / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A surfer braves a big swell, while the setting sun paints the sky red. Sydney, Australia
Second place: Gergo Rugli / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A scuba diver explores the underside of a gigantic iceberg in East Greenland. East Greenland
Third place: Franco Banfi / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Exploring the flooded caves of the Yucatan Peninsula, a diver discovers Mayan remains. Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Highly commended: Martin Broen / Ocean Photographer of the Year
The Lockheed Martin L1011 Tristar, an intentionally sunk plane wreck in the Red Sea, dwarfs a scuba diver. Jordan
Highly commended: Martin Broen / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A freediver is surrounded by a shiver of grey reef sharks. French Polynesia
Highly commended: Rachel Moore / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A freediver gazes up at the intricate ice patterns below the surface of a frozen lake. Canada
Highly commended: James Ferrara / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Female Fifty Fathoms Category
A sea lion and striped marlin move in on a bait ball. Mexico
Winner: Merche Llobera / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A cormorant dives beneath the surface to hunt. Mexico
Winner: Merche Llobera / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Conservation – Hope Category
A manatee enjoys the crystal-clear waters of the Homosassa River. Florida
Winner: Sylvie Ayer / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Two pale octopuses sit on a pipe that forms part of an artificial reef built to attract octopuses and other marine life to the area. Australia
Second place: Jules Casey / Ocean Photographer of the Year
During low tide, a coral reef is perfectly mirrored on the surface. Mayotte Island
Third place: Gabriel Barathieu / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A fever of mobula rays swim peacefully in the shallow waters of the Gulf of California. Baja California Sur, Mexico
Highly commended: Nicolas Hahn / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A green sea turtle briefly poses for an angelic portrait in Maui, Hawaii where sea turtles enjoy strong legal protections. Hawaii
Highly commended: Renee Capazzola / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A diver holds bunches of eelgrass in preparation for planting as part of a programme to restore historical seagrass beds. British Columbia, Canada
Highly commended: Shane Gross / Ocean Photographer of the Year
The circle of life: An endangered green sea turtle hatchling follows the path of an adult turtle after laying her eggs.
Ross Long / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Conservation – Impact Category
A polar bear cub contends with the fragility of melting ice. Svalbard, Norway
Winner: Florian Ledoux / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Framed by her unexpected surroundings, walrus Freya sits on a concrete pier in the harbour of Harlingen. The Netherlands
Second place: Jeroen Hoekendijk / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A response team in PPE cleans oil-contaminated sand along a beach hit by an oil spill. Thailand
Third place: Sirachai Arunrugstichai / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Two different worlds: A polar bear stands on sea ice, while a large expedition ship brings tourists to the area for wildlife encounters. Arctic Ocean
Highly commended: Dmitri Kokh / Ocean Photographer of the Year
The negative side of wildlife tourism: While swimming with a whale shark, one person attempts to touch the individual. Egypt
Highly commended: László Földi / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Fine Art Category
A whale shark and its entourage of remoras is attracted by the bright lights of fishermen. The Maldives
WINNER: Jade Hoksbergen / Ocean Photographer of the Year
The calm after the storm: After feeding on a baitball, almost diminishing it, a blue marlin swims through sparkling fish scales. Baja California Sur, Mexico
Second place: Alex Postigo / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Hidden yet unmistakable, a Northern gannet stares through a cloud of bubbles after diving in pursuit of fish. Scotland
Third place: Henley Spiers / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Two Chilean devil rays glide gracefully through a swirling baitball of lantern fish. Costa Rica
Highly commended: Merche Llobera / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A whitemouth moray eel’s intricate body fills the image’s entire background. Réunion Island
Highly commended: Cedric Peneau / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A curious group of Steller sea lions circle the photographer. Canada
Highly commended: Celia Kujala / Ocean Photographer of the Year
The Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean
Artisanal fishing fences stand proudly in the sea. China
WINNER: Jingyi Wang / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A small part of Ganvié, a floating village in Benin with about 30,000 inhabitants. Benin
Second place: Ioannis Pavlos Evangelidis / Ocean Photographer of the Year
On a stormy, grey morning, a horse rider meets one of the victims of a mass stranding of whales. The Netherlands
Third place: Jeroen Hoekendijk / Ocean Photographer of the Year
An orphaned Irrawaddy dolphin calf which was rescued from a stranding is cradled to sleep by a caretaker. Thailand
Highly commended: Sirachai Arunrugstichai / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Young Ocean Photographer of the Year
A bodyboarder paddles out to sea, while big storm clouds block the sun and create an electric blue colour effect on the wave. Western Australia
WINNER: Jarvis Smallman / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Like a bolt of lightning piercing through black clouds, this small common squid shoots off and jets a plume of ink into the water. England
Second place: Aaron Sanders / Ocean Photographer of the Year
A vibrant orange goby stands in stark contrast to its blue background. Indonesia
Third place: Jake Brandwine / Ocean Photographer of the Year
Learn more about the annual competition at the Ocean Photographer of the Year website
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