Sea the beauty of the world’s oceans with these 12 award-worthy photos
Heavenly manatees and Cronenberg-like lizardfish are some favorites from the 2023 Ocean Photographer of the Year awards.
The oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, but humans have only visited and mapped 5 percent of them. They remain one of the greatest, deepest mysteries close to home. With the help of scientists and photographers, however, we’re uncovering more wildlife and more about the flows and balances in oceans day by day. While we might never know everything that unfolds beneath the great blue waves, we can always keep our curiosities and appetites alive.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards, led by Oceanographic magazine and its partners, is the perfect way to dive further into marine landscapes without planning an expensive trip across the world. The 2023 winners will all be displayed at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney starting November 17—but until then, you can explore the skillful submissions in categories like wildlife, human connection, conservation impact, and conservation hope online. The no. 1 selection in this year’s contest depicts a wondrous paper nautilus swimming through a minefield of volcanic ejecta in the western Pacific Ocean. The image (see below) was taken by up-and-coming marine biologist and amateur photographer Jialing Cai.
Keep scrolling for a sampling of our favorites, and enjoy the rest on Oceanographic‘s website.
