15 Exceptional Images Recognized in the UN World Ocean Day Competition
In honor of World Ocean Day, the United Nations revealed the winners of its yearly photography contest. An expert jury sifted through thousands of submissions from photographers globally across four categories: Wonder, Underwater Seascapes, Above Water Seascapes, and Big and Small Underwater Faces. The contest is facilitated by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DivePhotoGuide, Oceanic Global, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
The theme for this year, “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” was elegantly depicted in the winning image by Rachel Moore, showcasing the eye of a humpback whale named Sweet Girl, taken in Mo’orea, French Polynesia. This photograph not only encapsulates the essence of the whale but also acts as a powerful reminder of the 20,000 whales lost to ship strikes annually, a cause Moore is championing to push for more stringent ship speed regulations in Tahiti and Mo’orea.
In the Underwater Seascapes category, Dani Escayola claimed first place for her captivating portrayal of a jellyfish lake in Indonesia. Gerald Rambert from Mauritius captured second place with his photo of a school of rays resting at a cleaning station, a sight becoming increasingly uncommon due to environmental shifts. Lars von Ritter Zahony received an honorable mention for his composite image of a leopard seal preying on penguins in Antarctica.
Leander Nardin triumphed in the Above Water Seascapes category with an aerial photograph of a tranquil Australian lake, showcasing the natural splendor where land and ocean converge. Nur Tucker followed with second place for her capture of Northern gannets on the cliffs of Scotland. Andrey Nosik secured third place for his reflective photo taken in Paradise Harbor, Antarctica.
In the Big and Small Underwater Faces category, Andrey Nosik was again awarded first place for his striking portrait of a Japanese warbonnet fish. Giacomo Marchione took second place with a photo of a rare blanket octopus captured in the Philippines. Lars von Ritter Zahony was honored with third place for an image of a daring leopard seal in Antarctica.
These images were exhibited at the UN Ocean Conference and gallery shows in Nice and New York, aiming to illustrate the intricate beauty and interconnection of our oceans, fostering protection and awareness of marine life.