Ocean Photographer of the Year, co-presented by Oceanographic and Blancpain, have revealed the winners of the 2024 Ocean Photographer of the Year competition! Rafael Fernández Caballero has been announced as the winner from over 15,000 entries to the competition, with a photograph of a Bryde’s whale feeding on a baitball.
Jacob Guy has won the Young Ocean Photographer category with an image of an elusive algae octopus. Winners will be exhibited in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition, which will first open at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, on November 28th, before moving to several additional venues in early 2025.
Ocean Photographer of the Year – Rafael Fernández Caballero
Young Ocean Photographer of the Year – Jacob Guy
From Ocean Photographer of the Year: Rafael Fernández Caballero has been named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024. Caballero’s image of a Bryde’s whale feeding on a baitball was chosen from more than 15,000 ocean images across all disciplines, including underwater, surf and drone.
Discussing the image, Caballero says: “The image captures perhaps the most special – and craziest – moment of my life. It fills me with joy having lived this moment – and to have captured the image.” Reflecting on being named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024, Caballero says: “This is a dream come true. Spectacular. Being a part of the best compilation of ocean photography this year – and receiving the top recognition – drives me to keep believing in what I do and to continue showcasing the ocean’s wonders.”
This year’s awarded photographs include dramatic wildlife encounters, such as a baitball being devoured from air and sea, out-of-place eels slithering over rocks at low tide, and an iridescent mahi mahi caught with a mouthful; beautiful examples of our species’ connection with the ocean, from a boat crew hauling an impossibly large net out of the water, conservationists tending to coral nurseries, and a freediver on their way into the depths of a blue hole; and stark reminders of our impact on the ocean, including an octopus sheltering in a plastic bag, a fin whale being hauled ashore for butchering, and a gannet accidentally hanged after its unnatural nest became a noose.
The recipient of this year’s Female Fifty Fathoms Award is Malaysian photographer Ipah Uid Lynn. 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 and a Blancpain delegation led by Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO.
Reflecting on her nomination and win, Lynn says: “Receiving the Female Fifty Fathoms Award is an incredible honour and validation of the passion and dedication I’ve poured into my work over the years. It feels surreal and deeply gratifying. It’s a recognition that goes beyond personal achievement; it highlights the importance of storytelling through photography and the voices of women in this field. I’m truly humbled and inspired to continue
pushing the boundaries of what I can capture and share with the world.”
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.
“Photography is a powerful ally in ocean exploration and conservation. We applaud the Ocean Photographer of the Year winners not only for their art, but for their help in educating a wider public on the marvels found in the seas,” says Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO of Blancpain.
Exhibition
The first Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition will open at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, on November 28th, followed by several additional venues in early 2025.
See more from Ocean Photographer of the Year.
Further reading:
- Submit your Macro photography to APOY!
- World Food Photography Awards now open for entries!
- Minimalist Photographer of the Year winner announced!
- Annular Eclipse wins 16th Astronomy Photographer of the Year
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