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1st place Fine Art Photographer of the Year

Henley Spiers Baja California Sur, Mexico

24°30'24.8"N 110°23'04.9"W

“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

Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year 2024, HENSPI19

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 is an award-winning underwater photographer, storyteller, and expedition leader, widely recognised as one of the leading voices in contemporary ocean photojournalism. Henley combines technical skill with a storyteller’s eye to create images that reflect both the wonder and vulnerability of the natural world. In recognition of his narrative approach, he was named the first-ever Storyteller in Residence for Oceanographic Magazine. He was named Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year (2024) and awarded the Grand Prize at HIPA (2022). His portfolio also includes major honours from the Nature Photographer of the Year, Environmental Photography Award, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, as well as the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year. His photography has been widely published, including in National Geographic, The Sunday Times, Der Spiegel, The Economist, BBC Wildlife Magazine, and The Guardian.

MORE IMAGES BY Henley Spiers