Winners Gallery
Finalist Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year
Daniel Edmond Sullivan Jr Maui County, Hawaii
Thirty days after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire claimed 102 lives, thousands gathered off West Maui for a traditional Hawaiian paddle-out ceremony. Surfers and families formed a circle on the ocean, linking hands and releasing leis in memory of those lost. Photographed from above, the image captures a community transforming grief into a shared expression of love, remembrance and connection to the sea.
BEHIND THE LENS
Daniel Edmond Sullivan Jr United States (US)
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Drone shot
- Taken from the coast
- DJI MAVIC PRO 3
- ISO 200, F 2.8, 1/640 sec
Daniel Sullivan is a photographer, filmmaker, and author who has spent more than twenty years documenting the land, culture, and ocean ecosystems of Maui, Hawaiʻi. His work spans aerial, underwater, and wildlife photography, with humpback whales and coral reefs at its heart. His films Koholā and Coral Guardians have earned festival recognition, and his images have appeared across National Geographic Channel, BBC's The Green Planet, Discovery, and Outside Magazine. Shooting on Nikon systems and Ikelite underwater housings, he pairs technical precision with a conservationist's eye, creating work that invites viewers to protect the fragile marine worlds it reveals.
