Winners Gallery
3rd place Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year
Matty Smith Sydney, Australia
“Hiding under the boat piers and jetties of Sydney Harbour, you’ll find these small and endangered White’s seahorses if you’re lucky,” says Smith. “Named after Dr White of the First Fleet, their numbers have been in decline due to human activities. However, due to conservation programmes and captive breeding and release, their numbers are happily recovering. I was lucky to find this individual clinging to a bright pink sponge and was able to take a photograph with a splash of colour.”
BEHIND THE LENS
Matty Smith United Kingdom (UK)
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Overcast, cool and clear water
- Site accessed from shore
- Taken while scuba diving at around 5 metres depth
- Morning, around 9am
Matty Smith is an internationally acclaimed ocean and underwater photographer whose award-winning images reveal the beauty, mystery and fragility of the natural world. Originally from the UK and now based in Australia, he has spent decades documenting marine wildlife, from tropical reefs to the icy waters of Antarctica. His work has been featured by the BBC, National Geographic and leading international publications, and exhibited worldwide. A Nikon Australia and Aquatica ambassador, Matty is passionate about inspiring ocean conservation through powerful visual storytelling, while leading immersive photography expeditions that connect people with some of the planet's most extraordinary marine environments.
MORE IMAGES BY Matty Smith
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.
