Winners Gallery
1st place Fine Art Photographer of the Year
Jade Hoksbergen Maldives
"At night in the Maldives, bright lights shine down into the water as fishermen seek out baitfish for the country’s sustainable pole and line tuna fishery," says Hoksbergen. "The light attracts plankton, which in turn attracts small fish. On occasion, they also bring in the largest fish in the ocean - whale sharks. While they were a nuisance to the fishermen in the past, a positive solution has been found by combining the two most important industries in the Maldives: tourism and fishing. Now, when a whale shark shows up at night, the fishermen call the team at COMO Maalifushi and eager guests are able to see and swim with an ocean giant. While taking this photograph, I was enveloped in darkness. I felt dwarfed in the shark’s presence."
BEHIND THE LENS
Jade Hoksbergen Taiwan
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Night time shoot
- Taken while freediving
- Calm, dry evening
- Site accessed by boat
IMAGES BY Jade Hoksbergen
The OceanPhotographer of the Year
2024 Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands
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.