Winners Gallery

<< Back to WINNERS GALLERY

Finalist Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year

Henley Spiers Mexico

24°45'08.6"N 110°19'40.8"W

"This green turtle was killed by a boat strike, an unnatural and unnecessary death for an endangered species," says Spiers. "Only recently deceased, it is partly decomposed, with the haunting view of the bare skull in contrast to the skin, which remains on the rest of its body, and the juvenile fish which have adopted the turtle carcass as a form of safe refuge. We came across this turtle by chance, a dispiriting sight at the end of a long and fruitless day at sea. I can only hope that this image acts as a reminder of the enormous human burden placed on turtles and the ocean as a whole."

BEHIND THE LENS

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, HENSPI31

Henley Spiers United Kingdom (UK)

ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Calm conditions
  • Mid-afternoon
  • Shot while freediving
  • F/22, 1/500s, ISO 800

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