The winner of the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year competition has been revealed! Indonesia-based macro photographer Yury Ivanov has been
named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 with a vibrant image of two synchronised ‘ladybugs of the sea’ that mesmerised the judging panel.
The winning photograph – taken at Ivanov’s local dive site in Bali, Indonesia – was chosen from more than 15,000 images from all over the world.
Ocean Photographer of the Year – Yury Ivanov
Two amphipods from the Cyproideidae family, each only measuring around 3 millimetres in body length, rest on a coral. Commonly called ‘ladybugs of the sea’, these tiny creatures display striking colouration and symmetry. “It required a lot of patience and precision to compose and light the shot properly,” says Ivanov. “The result reveals an intimate glimpse of underwater life that is often overlooked.”
Speaking about what it meant to be named Ocean Photographer of the Year, Ivanov said: “Winning Ocean Photographer of the Year is an incredible feeling; I’m deeply grateful for the recognition. 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.”
Ocean Photographer of the Year, Young category winner – Aaron Sanders
Under the cover of night, two tiny bobtail squid engage in an intimate display, their arms intertwined as they mate on the seabed. “Waves of colour rippled across their bodies as chromatophores pulsed in a mesmerising rhythm,” says Sanders.
This year’s photographs comprise epic wildlife images, including a drooling dragon, torpedo-like penguins and a puffin desperately trying to evade a thief; sensational visions of fine art, such as a stingray atop a billowing sand- cloud, the mountain range-like ruffles of a Weddel seal’s fur coat, and a juvenile candy crab ruling over its pink wonderland; a nuanced exploration of our own species’ connection with the ocean, including a gravity-defying
surfer launching toward a rainbow, the brutal reality of whale hunting in the Faroe Islands, and a team of conservationists and marine mammal rescuers attempting to save a beached whale.
The recipient of this year’s Female Fifty Fathoms Award is Chinese photographer Jialing Cai. The Female Fifty Fathoms Award was created in 2021 by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain to celebrate pioneering and boundary-pushing women in ocean photography. Unlike other categories, the recipient of this award is nominated by her peers and judged by the Ocean Photographer of the Year jury, including esteemed ocean photographer
Laurent Ballesta, editorial staff at Oceanographic and a Blancpain delegation led by Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO.
Reflecting on receiving the award, Cai said: “It is amazing to be recognised by organisations such as Oceanographic and Blancpain. I deeply admire the ocean work Blancpain supports, such as Laurent Ballesta’s Gombessa Expeditions. Being honoured by people I respect empowers me to dive even more fearlessly into the deep. The Female Fifty Fathoms Award is also a beautiful reminder that women can be celebrated simply for following their
passion.”
The Ocean Photographer of the Year, presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain, has a simple mission: to shine a light on the wonder and fragility of our blue planet, and to celebrate the photographers giving it a voice. The competition is a cornerstone of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment, which unites all the brand’s efforts to protect the ocean. The program is composed of three interconnected pillars: raising awareness of the ocean’s
beauty, supporting scientific research on ecosystems and underwater phenomena, and taking concrete conservation actions, such as helping to create marine protected areas around the world.
“The winners of this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year remind us that photography is more than art – it is a bridge. Their images connect people to the ocean in ways words cannot, reaching those who may never dive in it or paddle on it, but whose lives are deeply intertwined with it. In a time of planetary urgency, this year’s photographers invite the world to see, feel, and ultimately care. Their work is critical, because we protect what we
understand,” says Will Harrison, Director of Ocean Photographer of the Year.
“The Fifty Fathoms has long played a pioneering role in the history of diving and ocean exploration. Today, through our Ocean Commitment programme and the Ocean Photographer of the Year competition, we proudly continue to support underwater photography as a powerful ally in ocean exploration and conservation – helping to raise awareness, inspire, and drive protection,” says Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO of Blancpain.
Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 includes career-changing prizes, including £10,000 of equipment from Canon, and a commissioned place on expedition with Ocean Census, a multi-year global endeavour to discover new ocean life.
The first of 2025’s major Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibitions will open at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, on November 6th. The first major Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition to be showcased in the UK, will open at The Historic Dockyard Chatham on March 28th, 2026.
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