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two very tiny sea creatures balance on a frond of coral
Yury Ivanov. Two amphipods from the Cyproideidae family, each only measuring around three millimeters in body length, rest on a coral, Indonesia. All images © the photographers, courtesy of Ocean Photographer of the Year, shared with permission

‘Ladybugs of the Sea’ Take Top Honors in the 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year Contest

Kate Mothes

From tiny creatures measuring only three millimeters to humpback whales of incredible proportions, the animals and seascapes represented in this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year explore the incredible diversity and fragility of our cherished saltwater ecosystems.

More than 15,000 images were submitted to the 2025 contest from around the globe. Penguins off the coast of Antarctica captured by Romain Barats are complemented by stunning coral reefs shot by divers like Kim Hyeon Min and Jenny Stock. The contest is co-organized by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain.

a large coral in a reef
Kim Hyeon Min. Countless juvenile fish swirl around a dome-shaped coral, Indonesia

This year’s top prize goes to Yury Ivanov for his wonderful depiction of two tiny amphipods, which, despite their minuscule size, display beautiful colors and symmetry. “It required a lot of patience and precision to compose and light the shot properly,” Ivanov says. “The result reveals an intimate glimpse of underwater life that is often overlooked.”

Explore the winners’ gallery on the competition’s website.

penguins swim underwater
Romain Barats. Gentoo penguins resembling rockets dart through the water, Antarctica
Richard Smith. A dwarf seahorse hides among green algae, U.S.
a tiny jellyfish-like creature deep in the ocean
Jialing Cai. Almost ethereal in its translucency, a juvenile wunderpus octopus is surrounded by a variety of small zooplankton, such as larval shrimps, crabs, and worms, Anilao, Philippines
a goby cradles its eggs between two sea squirts
Giancarlo Mazarese. Between two sea squirts, a goby cradles its eggs. Bali, Indonesia
three sharks swim close together
Brooke Pyke. A mating ritual between three tawny nurse sharks. Baa Atoll, Maldives
a coral reef with a huge school of fish swimming nearby
Jenny Stock. A healthy reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
a whale swims with rope around its body
Claudio Moreno Madrid. An entangled humpback whale off Ningaloo Reef, Australia
an aerial view showing people gathered on a beach with buckets and rafts of fish
Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn. The morning ritual at Tam Tien beach, reflecting a deep connection between the sea and coastal livelihoods, Vietnam
a diver is very small underwater beside two whales
Alvaro Herrero. A freediver, accompanied by two humpback whales, maintains a respectful distance, French Polynesia
a person standing on a boat amid a watery aquaculture area
Shi Xioawen. Laver cultivation poles intertwine with fishermen labouring at work, China

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