Winners Gallery
1st place Ocean Portfolio Award
Matthew Sullivan Florida, USA
A portrait of a curious jawfish. “2025 was an exceptional year for spotting mouthbrooding males,” explains Sullivan. “This particular male was quite bold and once he became comfortable with me, he allowed me to take this image.”
All of Matthew's Collective Portfolio Award entry
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BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Midday shoot
- Shore dive
- Shot while scuba diving
- Overcast conditions
A batfish lies on the seabed. “Polka-dot batfish are a common sight in Florida waters, but they are notoriously difficult to photograph,” says Sullivan. “After years of trying, this individual seemed relaxed, and I was able to finally take a head-on portrait.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Late afternoon
- Sunny conditions
- Shot while snorkelling
- Coastal walk-in
Resting on the bottom of a cypress swamp, a large American alligator lies motionless. “Almost 12ft long, she never moved a muscle for over an hour,” says Sullivan. “The setting sun darkened the water, upping the intimidation factor of those big white teeth.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Clear winter's day
- Site accessed by boat
- Shot while snorkelling
- Early morning
Taken under permit, this photograph of a manatee in a spring-fed river showcases the animal’s curiosity. “The river is home to a population of manatees. Like a puppy, this individual followed me around for hours,” says Sullivan.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Clear winter's day
- Site accessed by boat
- Shot while snorkelling
- Early morning
A longnose gar swims in a spring-fed river, home to a small population of these fish. “Despite their fearsome appearance, they are skittish. It took me an hour to get within photo range of this large female,” says Sullivan.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Cold, cloudy day
- Site accessed by boat
- Midday shoot
- Shot while scuba diving
Northern Iceland’s geothermal vents are strongholds for Atlantic wolffish. “I came across this huge male which was perched upright on its fins at the entrance to its den,” says Sullivan. “I had just enough air to shoot a few frames.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Strong current
- Midday shoot
- Shot while scuba diving
- Site accessed by boat
A goliath grouper shows off its scars. “Of the many goliath groupers I’ve seen, this one may be the biggest and the most battle-worn,” says Sullivan. “It looked like it had lived a brutal life.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Night dive
- Calm conditions
- Site accessed by boat
- Shot while scuba diving
Discarded bottles beneath the dock at God’s Pocket Resort are refuges for mosshead warbonnets. “Though shy, with patience, the warbonnets would slowly re-emerge, and rest at the bottle mouth with just their heads exposed,” says Sullivan.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Midday shoot
- Shot while scuba diving
- Site accessed by boat
- Shot on a day trip
A male salmon prepares to make a leap over a waterfall. “Campbell River is known for its salmon runs,” explains Sullivan. “When I watched the show of thousands of salmon moving upstream, the chaotic environment called for slow shutter pictures.”
BEHIND THE LENS
Matthew Sullivan United States (US)
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Night dive
- Coastal walk-in
- Calm conditions
- Shot while scuba diving
Matthew Sullivan is an underwater and wildlife photographer based in Florida. As a 10 year old with a disposable kodak camera, to 20 years later, the passion for underwater image making has only grown. Weird, and unusual marine critters are his favorite photo subjects.
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Enjoy the vibrancy, beauty and impact of each year's finalist photography, celebrated in our Ocean Photographer of the Year coffee table book collection.
