2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards: Captivating Images of Marine Life, Sunken War Machines, and More
Underwater Photographer of the Year
has announced its winners. Every photo is spellbinding and reveals the unseen beauty of our planet’s marine life.
“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,” Alex Mustard, chair of the judging panel, said in a press release.
Billed as one of the most important annual wildlife photography competitions in the world, the awards attracted more than 6,500 entries from around the globe. Based in the UK, the competition features 13 categories including Macro, Wide Angle, Behavior, and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for images captured in British waters. The 2024 winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate.
‘Whale Bones’ by Alex Dawson
The winner of this year’s contest is Alex Dawson of Sweden, whose photo “Whale Bones” shows giant whale skeletons scattered on the Arctic seabed.
“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions, as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear witness to the carcasses,” Mr. Mustard said. “A very arresting image right from the start; for me this got bigger and better with every viewing.”
The photo was taken in arctic Greenland, famous for its strong hunting and fishing culture that dates back thousands of years.
Explaining the background of his winning photo, Mr. Dawson said: “In eastern Greenland the local hunters bring their catch and share it among each other. … The whale is pulled up on the beach during high tide and many families gather to cut the skin, blubber, and the meat off at low tide. Almost all the whale is consumed, however, the skeleton is pulled back into the sea by the next high tide, and the remains can be found in shallow waters where various marine invertebrates and fish pick the bones clean.”
‘Window of Opportunity’ by Lisa Stengel
American Lisa Stengel was crowned “Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year.” Thanks to her intrepid nature and fast responses, Ms. Stengel succeeded in bagging a rare shot of a mahi-mahi hunting sardines in Mexico.
…
