2020 CPoY finalist, Henley Spiers

Finalist Conservation Photographer of the Year

Henley Spiers Philippines

11°20'13.5"N 124°06'57.0"E

A ghost net completely covers Kimud Shoal, Cebu, Philippines. “We visited this area in the hope of seeing hammerhead sharks,” says photographer Henley Spiers. “That hope was quickly dashed as we came across a scene that was simply horrific. We swam for 60 minutes without coming to the end of the ghost net.” Dive operators from Malapascua removed the net shortly after this photograph was taken.

BEHIND THE LENS

Henley Spiers United Kingdom (UK)

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Camera: Nikon D850
Nauticam housing and Inon Z330 strobes
Site accessed by boat
Taken shortly after sunrise

Henley Spiers, half British and half French, is a renowned photographer, writer, and trip leader who has fast become one of the most highly decorated underwater wildlife shooters in the world. Henley is perhaps best known for his black and white imagery, showcasing the beauty of the aquatic world with distinctive minimalism. Fine art prints of his work now adorn walls around the globe.