Winners Gallery
1st place Female Fifty Fathoms Award
Merche Llobera Costa Rica
"In the Pacific Ocean's crystal clear waters, these four Chilean devil rays glided gracefully around me," says Llobera. "With my camera ready and my body submerged, I waited for the opportune moment to freedive and capture the sublime beauty of their aquatic ballet."
All of Merche's Female Fifty Fathoms Award images
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BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Costa Rica
- 30 degrees Celsius water temperature
- Taken on snorkel
- Site accessed by boat
“A beautiful turtle becomes a mobile home for some fish,” says Llobera. “These smart little fish know that the turtle is a safe refuge where they can avoid being hunted by hungry birds searching for their next meal.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Turks and Caicos
- Windy conditions
- Midday shoot
- Site accessed by boat
“This photo captures a beautiful moment between a mother humpback whale and her calf in very shallow waters,” says Llobera. “I felt very lucky as they allowed me to swim beside them and look into their eyes. The tenderness and curiosity of these creatures is palpable, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the magic of the encounter.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Maldives
- Calm conditions
- 29 degrees Celsius water temperature
- Taken on scuba
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Late morning shoot
- Taken on snorkel
- Site accessed by boat
- Sunny conditions
“When we arrived to this location the manatees immediately surrounded our boat,” says Llobera. “It was cold, but when you have so many manatees around you, grabbing your legs or trying to eat your hair, the cold doesn’t matter. I spent three hours laughing through my snorkel while taking thousands of photos.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Some swell
- Mid-afternoon shoot
- Site accessed by boat
- Taken on snorkel
“Marlin Run is synonymous with action,” says Llobera. “In this image a striped marlin breaks a bait ball while the sardines try to survive.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Sunny overhead
- Good visibility
- Early afternoon shoot
- Taken on scuba
“A cormorant swims quickly between different schools of fish trying to decide which one to eat while I, much slower, tried to get a good photo,” says Llobera. “Swanee Reef is a perfect place to see these schools of fish, cormorants and sea lions.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Taken while freediving
- Mid-afternoon shoot
- Site accessed by boat
- Sunny conditions
“This photo captures a marlin and a sea lion vying for a meal amidst a bait ball of sardines,” says Llobera. “Both predators are focused on the abundant prey, showcasing the fierce competition that exists in the ocean’s food chain.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Taken on scuba
- Morning shoot
- Sunny conditions
- Excellent visibility
“My favourite place on Earth to dive with sea lions is Los Islotes, in Baja California Sur, Mexico,” says Llobera. “I don’t know the reason why they are so sociable and playful there. The baby in this photo was playing with me until he stopped on the rocks with those big eyes posing for the photo.”
BEHIND THE LENS
Merche Llobera Spain
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- No swell
- Excellent visibility
- Site accessed by boat
- Windless day
MORE IMAGES BY Merche Llobera
WildlifePhotographer of the Year
2024 Baja California Sur, Mexico
Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year
2024 Saltee Islands, Ireland
Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year
2023 Baja California Sur, Mexico
Reconnect. Immerse yourself. Be inspired.
Enjoy the vibrancy, beauty and impact of each year's finalist photography, celebrated in our Ocean Photographer of the Year coffee table book collection.
