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

<< Back to 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

Click on image to view details

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

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Nighttime shoot
Site accessed on foot

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

BEHIND THE LENS

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Taken while freediving
Site accessed by boat

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

BEHIND THE LENS

Ocean Portfolio Award, runner-up, Matty Smith

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."