Winners Gallery
1st place The Ocean Photographer of the Year
Julien Anton Mo'orea, French Polynesia
An adult seahorse pictured with newly born juveniles in the shallow seaweed-filled waters of Moorea, French Polynesia. Although they are unlikely to be related, their arrangement creates the impression of a farewell, as if the tiny seahorses are gathering around a father after he has released them into the world. Seahorses are now rare in French Polynesia so this image was the result of long hours of searching among the seaweed.
BEHIND THE LENS
Julien Anton French Polynesia
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Photo taken while on a rebreather dive
- Lumix GH7 & SeaFrogs Housing
- BigblueLights 2x 36000Lumens & x1 12000Lumens
- 1/320, F/5.6, ISO 400
French underwater photographer Julien Anton has created a series of work dedicated to highlighting and protecting marine environments. With a background in high-level sport, he brings a disciplined and detail-oriented visual approach that produces refined imagery with impact. His images have been exhibited in France and Australia and have been part of international projects such as collaborations linked to the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He is an active proponent of increasing awareness of ocean conservation issues through collaboration with scientific and media organisations.
MORE IMAGES BY Julien Anton
WildlifePhotographer of the Year
2026 French Polynesia
Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year
2024 Tahiti, French Polynesia
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.