Overall winner of the Ocean Photographer of the Year Award, Rafael Fernández Caballero
Oceanography Journal has announced the winners of its 2024 Ocean Photographer of the Year competition—and here’s another stunning collection of images showcasing the beauty beneath the waves. This year’s overall winner—“Ocean Photographer of the Year”—is Rafael Fernández Caballero for his breathtaking photo of a Bryde’s whale preparing to swallow a large sardine, taken off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
The winners of the other nine awards were a host of top underwater photographers, including several DPG entrants. Manuel Castellanos Raboso was crowned “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” for his image of a mahi-mahi caught during another feeding frenzy off Baja California, while the Mexican peninsula was featured again, as it happens, in Henley Spires‘a fascinating motion-blur image of a swimming mobula ray, which won him the title of “Art Photographer of the Year”.
Professional shooter Tobias Friedrich was this year’s “Adventure Photographer of the Year” for an inspiring shot of a diver dwarfed by a giant shipwreck in the Bahamas. In two conservation categories, Frederik Brogaard’s photo of a fin whale awaiting slaughter in Iceland won “Conservation Photographer (Impact) of the Year,” while Shane General‘A photograph of a green turtle released by a researcher in the Seychelles won the ‘Conservation Photographer (hopefully) of the Year’ award. More impressively, Shane also won the ‘Ocean Portfolio Award’ for his collection of 10 stunning images.
Rounding out the event, we had the “Human Connection Award: People and the Ocean Planet” awarded to Zhang Xiang for his serene photo of a traditional Chinese fisherman strolling on a sunny beach in Fujian, China; the “Young Photographer of the Year” award was given to Jacob guy for a stunning photograph of a kelp octopus in Indonesia; and the “Fifty Fathoms Award for Women” was awarded to Ipah Uid Lynn for her photograph of a whale shark surrounded by a school of fish swimming in a school, taken in the Maldives.
Check out the pictures below or visit the winner’s photo gallery above. Oceangeographic Magazine Website to see all the recognized photos. Congratulations to all the deserving winners and runners-up!
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Manuel Castellanos Raboso
Fine Art Photographer of the Year, Henley Spiers
Adventure Photographer of the Year, Tobias Friedrich
Conservation Photographer (Impact) of the Year, Frederik Brogaard
Conservation Photographer (Hope) of the Year, Shane Gross
Human Connection Award: People and the Ocean Planet, Zhang Xiang
Young Photographer of the Year, Jacob Guy
Ocean Portfolio Award Winner, Shane Gross
Fifty Fathoms Female Award, Ipah Uid Lynn
