The winners of 11th annual photo competition on the occasion of United Nations World Oceans Day announced on June 7, 2024, during United Nations World Oceans Day (UNWOD) 2024 event at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The free contest, launched last March, explored five thematic categories related to 2024’s overarching theme: “Awakening New Depths.” Judge world-famous underwater photographer Tom St George (UK), guide and caver Julia Gugelmeier (Germany), photographer and diving center operator Mohamed Rifshan Shaheem (Maldives) and photographer Underwater photographer Mayumi Takeuchi-Ebbins (Japan) was selected first, second, and third prize for each category. Winners are selected from thousands of global entries from both amateur and professional photographers.
The 2024 United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition is coordinated between United Nations Commission on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the SeaDPG, Global oceanthe United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairsthe Office of the United Nations High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing Statesthe UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic CommissionAnd Nausicaa.
The 2024 winning photographers come from nine different countries: Renee Capozzola, Patrick Webster, Sina Ritter (“Awakening New Depths”), Andrea Marandino, Stuart Chape (“Small Island Developing States ”), Mathieu Macias, George Kuowei Kao, Irene Middleton (“Big and Small Faces Underwater”), Taryn Schulz, Daniel Sly, Vanessa Mignon (“Underwater Seascapes”), Michael Sswat, Emmett Sparling, Romeo Bodolai (“Seascape on the water”). All participants signed a charter of 14 commitments related to ethics in photography.
The United Nations World Oceans Day photo competition is an ongoing tradition that calls on photographers and artists from around the world to convey the beauty of the oceans and the importance of their subjects. respectively of UNWOD each year. Additionally, you can view winning photos from previous years at www.unworldoceansday.org and more DPG World Oceans Day photo contest microsite. (On DPG’s microsite, you can find extensive captions for this year’s winners, telling the stories behind the photos.)
Awaken new depths
Awakening New Depths – Winner by Renee Capozzola (USA)
Awakening new depths – 2nd place by Patrick Webster (USA)
Awakening new depths – 3rd place of Sina Ritter (Germany)
Small Island Developing Countries
Small Island Developing States — Winner goes to Andrea Marandino (Brazil)
Small Island Developing States — 2nd Place by Andrea Marandino (Brazil)
Small Island Developing States — 3rd place by Stuart Chape (Australia)
Large and small underwater faces
Big and small faces underwater — Winner goes to Mathieu Macias (France)
Big and Small Faces Underwater — 2nd Place by George Kuowei Kao
Big and small faces underwater — 3rd place by Irene Middleton (New Zealand)
Underwater seascape
Underwater Seascape – Winner by Taryn Schulz (Canada)
Underwater seascape—2nd place by Daniel Sly (Australia)
Underwater seascape — 3rd place by Vanessa Mignon (Australia)
Seascape on the water
Seascape on the water – Winner by Michael Sswat (Germany)
Seascape on the water — 2nd place by Emmett Sparling (Canada)
Seascape on the water — 3rd place by Romeo Bodolai (Hungary)
