on 18 Jun 2021
The competition received around 1,400 awe-inspiring entries from around the world
The winners of the United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition 2021 have been announced. The awe-inspiring images showcase a diverse array of marine creatures and habitats from around the world.
In total, there were over 1,400 entries in the competition, which was split into six categories: Oceanic Discoveries, The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods, Above Water Seascapes, Underwater Seascapes, Faces Of The Sea and Digital Ocean Photo Art.
The contest was curated by award-winning Belgian photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, with winners selected by a jury composed of world-renowned photographers and artists, including British documentary maker Julian Lennon and Malaysian underwater photographer and diving instructor Ipah Uid Lynn.
Renee Capozzola from the USA won the ‘the ocean: life & livelihoods’ category with this photo of two local fishermen practising handline fishing off Adonara Island in Indonesia
The winner of the ‘above water seascapes’ category was Pawel Zygmunt from Poland, with this dizzying aerial shot of Kalsoy in the Faroe Islands
A sublime image of a shortfin mako shark off the coast of Baja California, Mexico came third in the ‘faces of the sea’ category. The photo was taken by Evans Baudin from the USA
Australia’s Brett Stanley was awarded second place in the ‘digital ocean photo art’ category for this poignant composition
Japanese underwater photographer Sayaka Ichinoseki cinched top spot in the ‘Faces of the Sea’ category with this incredible image of baby goosefish taken in Hokkaido
Francisco ‘Paco’ Sedano from Spain came top of the ‘digital ocean photo art’ category with this ethereal creation
This photo, taken by Hannes Klostermann from Germany, came second in the ‘oceanic discoveries’ category. The stunning image features a school of skipjack tuna off the coast of Mexico, preying on a sardine bait ball
American photographer Tom St George took this image of the Sistema Sac Actun underwater cave system off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, which won the ‘oceanic discoveries’ category
Nur Tucker from the UK won first place in the ‘underwater seascapes’ category with this photo of sea lion pup in a cave, taken off the coast of Baja California, Mexico
British photographer Henley Spiers came third in the ‘ocean, life and livelihoods’ category with this photo of a man spearfishing for yellowfin tuna off the coast of Costa Rica
Spain’s Rafael Fernandez Caballero gained third place in the ‘above water seascapes’ category with this serene aerial image of a blue whale, taken off the coast of Isla Cerralvo in Mexico
A diver examines the skeletal remains of a Bryde’s whale off Koh Haa Island in Thailand’s Mu Koh Lanta National Park. Thai photojournalist Sirachai Arunrugstichai was awarded third place in the ‘ocean discoveries; category for the impressive image
Sardines form a shoal off the coast of Cebu, Philippines. This photo by Marchione Giacome from Italy came second in the ‘underwater seascapes’ category
