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 is an award-winning underwater photographer, storyteller, and expedition leader, widely recognised as one of the leading voices in contemporary ocean photojournalism. Henley combines technical skill with a storyteller’s eye to create images that reflect both the wonder and vulnerability of the natural world. In recognition of his narrative approach, he was named the first-ever Storyteller in Residence for Oceanographic Magazine. He was named Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year (2024) and awarded the Grand Prize at HIPA (2022). His portfolio also includes major honours from the Nature Photographer of the Year, Environmental Photography Award, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, as well as the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year. His photography has been widely published, including in National Geographic, The Sunday Times, Der Spiegel, The Economist, BBC Wildlife Magazine, and The Guardian.