Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope) 2023, ML - Oceanographic

Finalist Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year

Merche Llobera Baja California Sur, Mexico

4°35'57.8"N 110°24'07.0"W

"This day was special," says Llobera. "We swam with sea lions and schools of fish appeared everywhere. Shortly before I wanted to leave, three cormorants dove into the water at full speed. A sea lion chased one of them, another kept trying to hunt and the third stopped right in front of me. Everything happened very fast but I managed to capture this image of the magical light and the swirling fish masses between the cormorants."