Picturing a better future for our oceans

“Approximately 0.1% of philanthropic spending goes towards the oceans,” says Kiran Haslam, chief marketing officer at Princess Yachts. “When you think about the importance of the oceans, in terms of the volume of the world that they constitute and the life force that is derived from them, that’s not very much.”

It’s this recognition of the significance of the oceans that led Princess Yachts to support the inaugural Ocean Photography Awards, in conjunction with Oceanographic magazine and SeaLegacy, a collective of photographers on a mission to create healthy oceans. The competition, open to all ocean photographers, was judged by a panel of experts, including National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen and founder of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Cristina Mittermeier.

A quick scan of the entries reveals exceptionally high standards across all six categories, including Exploration Photographer of the Year and Conservation Photographer of the Year. One incredible shot, taken by Sean Scott, shows two sharks surfing a wave in remote Western Australia. “The huge bait ball the sharks were feeding on had moved very close to the shoreline,” says Scott. “I got the long lens out and took a test shot of the waves and the very next wave the sharks were in it. I didn’t see this happen again for the next two days I was there.”

Another, taken by Matt Sharp who went on to win the award for Conservation Photographer of the Year, shows a hermit crab on a small island in the Maldives atop a pile of plastic, in a shell made from man-made waste.  “We were so shocked at the plastic waste littering the island,” says Sharp. “And then I saw this hermit crab crawling through the knee-deep plastic. It demonstrates the scale of the problem.”

Will Harrison, editor of Oceanographic magazine explains why images like these all help to reconnect people with the ocean in a meaningful way. “The awards are both a celebration of this beautiful blue planet of ours, and a platform to showcase the devastating stuff that is going on too. We want to get people excited about the ocean – being on it, under it, in it; that sense of adventure and exploration is critical.”

The awards were originally planned to take place in London alongside the Thames, but coronavirus meant that this was replaced with a virtual event. The official winners were crowned on 19 November, with the overall Ocean Photographer of the Year named as US-based Nadia Aly for her striking image of mobula rays in clear water off Baja California Sur. “I took this photo while freediving,” she says. “We found this aggregation in mid-morning and stayed with it for four hours. The sun was shining and the ocean was gifting!”

“I am really proud that Princess is driving the awards,” says Haslam. “And I hope that in five, ten years from now, the awards will still be focused on doing right by the environment.” The mission of the awards is to shine a light on the threats facing the ocean and raise money for its protection. “In the current environment, people are rediscovering nature and connecting with the world around them,” says Haslam. “If ever there was an opportunity to change the level of philanthropic spend going towards the oceans, it’s going to be now, when people are connecting.”

SeaLegacy agrees. “We hope that these awards ignite the imagination of people and encourage more people to pick up a camera and document the most majestic ecosystem on our planet,” says Cristina Mittermeier, co-founder and managing director of SeaLegacy. “There are many unknown photographers out there who are incredibly talented. The images they are creating can help amplify the important work being done to protect our oceans. Recognition in a competition like this can bring them, and their work, to a higher level. With that, comes an opportunity to use their talents to significantly contribute to ocean conservation initiatives.”

SeaLegacy has had a long history of support from within the superyachting community, with many owners donating the use of their vessels to their mission. “One of the most challenging things for an organization like ours is access to vessels,” says Mittermeier. “Having the room and freedom to produce the stories vital to effective conservation work is extremely valuable. In this way, and through philanthropic contributions, the superyacht industry can be a huge force for positive change.”