Ocean Portfolio Award, runner-up, Matty Smith - Oceanographic

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2nd place Collective Portfolio Award

Matty Smith Australia

Pacifica Man Of War at Bushrangers Bay, NSW, Australia.

All of Matty's Collective Portfolio Award entry

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Taken in Sydney Harbour
Shot while scuba diving

The striate anglerfish is a master of disguise with a monstrous appetite.

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Taken at night
Shore dive
Taken while scuba diving

“During a shallow night dive in Wollongong Harbour, NSW, I came across this adult male Southern Bobtail Squid hunting across the sand,” says photographer Matty Smith. “As I approached it seemed to take interest in its reflection in my camera lens port and began to dance with this curious and colourful display. It’s a behaviour I’ve only witnessed a couple of times in several years of diving here, but this time I managed to capture it before the animal vanished into the night.”

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Taken while scuba diving
Good underwater visibility

“During this dive I had spent most of my time photographing green and hawksbill turtles that were grazing on the algae in the shallow water surrounding the island,” says photographer Matty Smith. “Suddenly I noticed these two Eastern Kelpfish behaving quite oddly. Sensing something was about to happen I made my way over and as I did they began to chase each other up into the water column in a beautiful and dance-like mating ritual. This they repeated several times and seemed totally oblivious to my presence.”

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Choppy, challenging conditions
Dirty green water
Twilight shoot

Porpita Porpita at Bushrangers Bay, NSW, Australia.

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Camera: Nikon Z7II
Housing: Aquatica
Taken while scuba diving

The distinguishing characteristics of a leopard shark; a whip like tail and beautiful skin patterns.

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Calm, warm conditions
Walk-in shoot, stood waste-deep
29 degrees Celsius water temperature
Late evening

A Hawksbill turtle hatchling (Eretmochelys imbricata) just 3cm long and a few minutes old takes it’s first swim at Lissnenung Island, Papua New Guinea.

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Taken while freediving
Choppy conditions

During a stormy day at sea, a humpback whale calf glides effortlessly below.

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Nighttime shoot
Site accessed on foot

Sea Sparkle (Noctiluca scintillans) washing ashore and glowing brilliantly in the ebb and flow of the lapping waves.

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Taken while freediving
Site accessed by boat

A lone freediver swims into the remarkable Swallows Cave in Tonga.

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Ocean Portfolio Award, runner-up, Matty Smith

Matty Smith United Kingdom (UK)

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Matty Smith is an internationally-acclaimed award-winning photographer. He is based in Australia, having emigrated from the UK in 2007. "I have the worlds biggest playground at my feet, the Pacific Ocean," he says. "And I have truly fallen in love with it."