
Winners Gallery


1st place Fine Art Photographer of the Year
Henley Spiers Baja California Sur, Mexico
“Born during the great mobula aggregations of spring, juvenile Munk's devil rays remain in the Sea of Cortez long after their parents have left, using the shallow bays of Espiritu Santo Island as a nursery,” explains Spiers. “By autumn, the water is clear, a bonus for underwater photography but also signifying less food for the filter feeding rays. At night we hung a green light from the back of our boat, as plankton gathered around it the mobula rays gratefully swooped in for a microscopic buffet. The rays seem to fly through the water as they pursue their dinner. Entranced by their grace, I used a two-second exposure to capture their movements which, to my eye, felt like an aquatic ballet.”
BEHIND THE LENS

Henley Spiers United Kingdom (UK)
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Calm, water temperature of 27 degrees Celsius
- Site accessed by boat
- Late at night
- Taken while scuba diving
Henley Spiers, half British and half French, is a renowned photographer, writer, and trip leader who has fast become one of the most highly decorated underwater wildlife shooters in the world. Henley is perhaps best known for his black and white imagery, showcasing the beauty of the aquatic world with distinctive minimalism. Fine art prints of his work now adorn walls around the globe.
MORE IMAGES BY Henley Spiers

Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year
2024 The Maldives

Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year
2024 Devon, England

WildlifePhotographer of the Year
2023 Baja California Sur, Mexico

Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year
2023 Isle of Noss, Scotland

Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year
2023 Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Collective Portfolio Award
2020 Philippines
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.
