Winners Gallery
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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BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Taken in Sydney Harbour
- Shot while scuba diving
The striate anglerfish is a master of disguise with a monstrous appetite.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- 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.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- 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.”
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Choppy, challenging conditions
- Dirty green water
- Twilight shoot
Porpita Porpita at Bushrangers Bay, NSW, Australia.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Camera: Nikon Z7II
- Housing: Aquatica
- Taken while scuba diving
The distinguishing characteristics of a leopard shark; a whip like tail and beautiful skin patterns.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- 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.
BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Taken while freediving
- Choppy conditions
During a stormy day at sea, a humpback whale calf glides effortlessly below.
BEHIND THE LENS
Matty Smith United Kingdom (UK)
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."
MORE IMAGES BY Matty Smith
Conservation (Hope)Photographer of the Year
2024 Sydney, Australia
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.
