The annual Underwater Photographer of the Year contest, which has been around since 2015, celebrates the magic of being one with large water bodies, featuring freshwater frogs, shipwrecks, and giant sharks. This year, the contest spanned several categories, with over 4,200 entries coming in from over 71 countries. We’ve rounded up a list of the winners based on the list released on the official website. By Eshita Srinivas
Every year, several professional photographers and divers set out to explore the deep secrets of the ocean. And the results are stunning, to say the least.
Those that dare to venture into the ocean are rewarded with stunning visuals of rainbow-hued coral reefs and unique aquatic creatures. Similarly beautiful, yet wildly different, landscapes like sandstone formations and distinctive ferns and mosses lie beneath rivers and lakes. A few divers around the world have managed to capture the beauty of these underwater wonders. Here’s a list you must check out based on the results of the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest.
2022’s best underwater photographers
Rafael Fernandez Caballero
This year’s title of the Best Underwater Photographer went to award-winning Rafael Caballero from Spain. As a child, the diving instructor and underwater photographer would accompany his father (also an underwater photographer) to places all over the world. Caballero then began diving at the age of seven and took his camera along at 16. He now spends his time conducting workshops and photography courses around the world, raising awareness around the need to protect marine life.
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In his picture titled, “dancing with the giants of the night,” five whale sharks feed on nocturnal plankton, illuminated by the lights of a boat. In a report by BBC, he was quoted saying, “It was incredible when one whale shark came to our boat – but more and more kept arriving.” He further added, “I was diving with shark researcher Gador Muntaner, who couldn’t believe it as their numbers grew.” The carefully composed, magical image was captured in the Maldives.
Quico Abdal
The title of the Up and Coming Underwater Photographer Of 2022 went to Quico Abdal from Spain. The young photographer enjoys being outdoors and takes particular joy in being underwater.
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In his award-winning picture, taken in Thailand and titled, “supernova in paradise,” Abdal captured a model in a stunning white dress against the light of the sunset. He did this without fins or a wetsuit, making the process quite challenging. The simple, yet, surreal image is reflective of the magic of the ocean. Another photograph of his, titled “the adventures of captain Lisa,” which fuses science fiction and underwater landscapes, came in third in this category.
Matty Smith
The winner of the British Underwater Photographer of the Year category for 2022, Matty Smith is based out of Australia. Drawn to the water and the way it plays tricks on light, he bought his first SLR to capture the coastline, later upgrading to a waterproof housing to explore what lies under the water. Today, he uses his skills to showcase the beauty of the ocean while spotlighting the need to protect it.
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In his picture, titled “a 3.5 metres great white curiously approaches my lens,” Smith fulfilled his dream to capture a great white shark, using a DIY carbon pole and remote trigger. The sharks were instantly attracted to the camera, and Smith had to keep them from biting off the dome port. The snap was hailed for having great character and is breathtaking to behold.
Paul Pettitt
The Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of 2022, Paul Pettitt began diving in the early 1990s when he got bored of waiting around for his wife to come back from her dives. He didn’t know how to use a camera when he first began, switching from a compact to a DLSR to experiment.
His vibrant, colourful picture was snapped on a bright afternoon when sea gooseberries began drifting by him. The standout picture is further enhanced by the clear, pristine British waters.
Pekka Tuuri
Based out of Finland, Pekka Tuuri won the My Backyard category for 2022. Over the past decade, the diver visited several remote destinations, only to arrive at the conclusion that Finnish waters inspired him the most. Despite not having an ocean, the freshwater sources of the country are frigid and murky. But to Tuuri, they’re filled with opportunities to spot something beautiful.
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His picture titled, “all you need is love,” features a scene from a love pond that’s 20 minutes away from his home. He spent four nights and four days visiting the common frogs and toads in the waters. Well composed, the image required the photographer-diver to stay put as the frogs grunted in his ears and curiously climbed his camera.
Thien Nguyen Ngoc
Photographer, freediver, and engineer, Thien Nguyen Ngoc won the title of the Save Our Seas Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year, 2022. His winning snap, titled “season of anchovy fishery,” is an aerial perspective of fishing off the coast of Hon Yen, Phu Yen province, Vietnam during the peak season.
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Salted anchovies are an important Vietnamese staple. However, aquatic creatures like whales, sea birds, and tunas rely on them for their diet. When overfished, these creatures face starvation and their populations decline sharply. With low anchovy reserves in their waters, Ngoc’s image sharply highlights the need to farm more sustainably.
Javier Murcia
A dedicated underwater photographer from Spain who explores both marine and freshwater fauna, Javier Murcia has been published in various marine fauna books as well as the brochures of ecological foundations. His work is also exhibited in museums and exhibitions.
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His picture, which won the macro category of the competition, showcases the meeting of a seagrass shrimp and seagrass pipefish. The perfectly-timed image is minimalistic but points to the complex, unique creatures that lie under the water.
Alex Dawson
Swedish underwater photographer Alex Dawson specialises in cave diving and underwater wrecks and his Instagram gives one insight into magical, abandoned worlds within the ocean.
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His picture, titled “abandoned ship,” captures the wreck of a 50-food dive boat in Tyrifjord lake, which placed him first in the Wrecks category for this year. The dramatic shot highlights the steering wheel, which shines despite the poor underwater lighting.
Thomas Heckmann
The winner of the Portrait category, Thomas Heckmann, has a German underwater photographer for decades and participated in several hundred national and international competitions.
His picture, titled “Rapunzel on fire” is a stunning play of light and composition. The strong colours contrast against each other and the photographer reportedly used several strobes to achieve this result.
Kerrie Burow
An underwater photographer as well as a cave and technical underwater diver, Kerrie Burow is the winner of the Black and White category for this year.
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Her picture, titled, “Sarah’s underwater world,” features her seven-year-old niece Sarah who, the photographer stated in an Instagram post, has been holding her breath underwater for a long time. The minimalist shades of black and white make this image stand out and convey the photographer’s intentions to offer peace, comfort, and hope in times of a pandemic.
Enrico Somogyi
Based out of Germany, this underwater photographer is known to play with unusual backgrounds and effects, while employing creative techniques to achieve something beautiful. His work led him to win the Compacts category in this competition.
His winning photograph is an ambiguous look at a toad during mating season. Normally, shy, they head out sometime around the end of March.
Feature and hero image: Underwater Photographer of the Year, 2022/Matty Smith
Related: These 10 Stunning Coral Reefs Around The World Are Works Of Art
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