2021 OPoY runner-up, Henley Spiers

2nd place The Ocean Photographer of the Year

Henley Spiers Scotland

60°08'43.8"N 1°01'10.9"W

Gannets diving for food. “Diving amidst the barrage of gannets, I witness the violent synchronicity of these impressive seabirds as they embark on fishing dives,” says photographer Henley Spiers. “Their piercing glare scans for prey, even as they hit the water at 60mph, an impact they can only withstand thanks to specially evolved air sacs in the head and chest. The agility of the birds transfers from air to sea, swimming with an incredible speed of reaction as other gannets torpedo into the sea.”

BEHIND THE LENS

Henley Spiers United Kingdom (UK)

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Slight swell
Captured while snorkelling
Cold conditions
Site accessed by boat

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.