2021 CPoY finalist, Henley Spiers

Finalist Conservation Photographer of the Year

Henley Spiers Mexico

24°34'59.9"N 112°00'00.0"W

An olive ridley turtle ensnared by fishing gear, far offshore in the Pacific Ocean. “The more it struggled, the more tightly it became trapped,” says photographer Henley Spiers. “Moments after this image was captured, we were able to cut the turtle free. A happy outcome for this individual but one which is not shared by most of the turtles who are accidentally caught by fishing lines.”

BEHIND THE LENS

Henley Spiers United Kingdom (UK)

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Glassy calm waters
Taken while snorkelling
Sunny conditions
30m underwater visibility

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.