The winners of the 13th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest have been unveiled, with Eduardo Labat earning “Best in Show” with a jaw-dropping photo of white-tip reef sharks circling off the coast of Mexico. Labat also earned top honors in the black and white category.
“It was our last dive of the day, in the afternoon with sunlight fading. At Roca Partida, most white tip sharks congregate in small groups at various ledges throughout the rock formation,” explains Labat. “On this particular afternoon, a large aggregation of white tips started forming some distance from the rock. Dozens of sharks formed a tight group at an approximate depth of 25 feet. The sharks were not hunting or exhibiting aggressive behavior. After witnessing this rare event from the periphery of the formation, I slowly ascended to hover just above it. That is where I took this picture.”
Labat captured the incredible shot using a Sony a6600 with a Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 fisheye lens. His gear was inside a Nauticam housing, and he used Sea and Sea YS-DE Duo strobes for illumination.
“This year’s Ocean Art competition was nothing short of extraordinary,” says Nirupam Nigam, organizer of the contest and President of Bluewater Photo and Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide.
“The talent and vision displayed by our participants have set new benchmarks for underwater photography. These images do more than win awards; they captivate hearts and minds, reaching millions globally and reminding us of our shared responsibility to protect the ocean’s beauty. It’s an honor to see the competition grow in scope and impact every year,” Nigam continues.
Alongside Labat’s grand prize victory, blue ribbons were doled out for an additional 13 categories. All the category winners are featured below.
2024 Ocean Art Contest Category Winners
Wide Angle
Macro
Marine Life Behavior
Portrait
Cold Water
Nudibranchs
Blackwater
Underwater Conservation
Underwater Digital Art
Underwater Fashion
Compact Wide Angle
Compact Macro
Compact Behavior
More from the 2024 Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest
Alongside the best-in-show and category winners featured above, the competition judges selected second, third, fourth, and fifth-place finishers, alongside honorable mentions. The complete gallery of all award-winning photos is available on the Underwater Photography Guide website.
Image credits: All photos courtesy of the 2024 Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest and the Underwater Photography Guide. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.
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