Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 SIRARU6 - Oceanographic

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Finalist Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

Sirachai Arunrugstichai Lamalera, Indonesia

8°34'41.5"S 123°25'06.2"E

A Lamafa, the lead harpooner in the Indonesian village of Lamalera, leaps from his boat to strike an orca with a hand-thrown harpoon. For more than 600 years, the community has relied on hunting whales and other cetaceans for food, with the meat shared throughout the village. Today, the use of motorboats has made the hunt increasingly controversial, placing traditional subsistence practices at the centre of debates about culture, livelihoods and marine conservation.

BEHIND THE LENS

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 SIRARU6

Sirachai Arunrugstichai Thailand

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ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Boat
  • Nikon Z8, Nikon 24-70 F/4 S
  • ISO 64, F/5.6, 1/1250 shutter speed

Sirachai “Shin” Arunrugstichai is a Thai photojournalist and marine biologist focused on marine conservation and humanity’s complex relationship with the ocean. An Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a National Geographic Explorer and a Vital Impacts' Sylvia Earle Grant recipient, Shin’s work spans from environmental crises to social issues. His images have appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, often through his role with Getty Images. When not in the field, Shin contributes to shark and ray research in Southeast Asia as a co-founder of Thai Sharks and Rays, a collaborative marine science initiative.

MORE IMAGES BY Sirachai Arunrugstichai

Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year

2025 Thailand

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, SIRARU8

Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year

2025 Thailand

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, SIRARU9

Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

2025 Taiwan

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, SIRARU18

Conservation (Impact)Photographer of the Year

2024 Myeik Archipelago, Myanmar

Ocean Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year 2024, SIRARU1

Ocean Portfolio Award

2023 Thailand

Ocean Portfolio Award 2023, Sirachai Arunrugstichai

Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

2023 Rayong, Thailand

Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean 2023, SA

Conservation (Impact)Photographer of the Year

2023 Myeik, Myanmar

Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact) 2023, SA2

Conservation (Impact)Photographer of the Year

2023 Rayong, Thailand

Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact) 2023, SA

ExplorationPhotographer of the Year

2020 Thailand

2020 EPoY finalist, Sirachai Arunrugstichai

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