Graceful shark ballet wins 2024 Ocean Art Underwater contest

The Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide, has revealed its winners for 2024. This year’s contest saw record-breaking participation from over 90 countries, showcasing the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems. And the best of the best shows a graceful dance of sharks.

Eduardo Labat’s Best in Show: a dance of sharks

Best in Show, or the best photo of this year’s contest, is Eduardo Labat’s Dancing White Tips, a black-and-white image capturing white-tip reef sharks moving in perfect harmony at Roca Partida, Mexico. The striking photo is both an artistic and technical triumph. Other than the overall win, it brought Eduardo the first place in the Black & White category, too.

Category winners

Other than the overall winner, there are also 14 category winners, highlighting everything from dramatic wide-angle reefscapes to powerful conservation imagery. The Conservation category was particularly poignant, with an image of a shark caught in a ghost net symbolizing the destructive impact of marine debris. The contest continues to support Ghost Diving, a group dedicated to removing underwater debris.

Other unforgettable entries included Yoichi Sato’s Born from Mouth, showing a male cardinalfish releasing his young, and Brittany Ilardi’s mesmerizing capture of mobula rays in Baja California.

“This year’s Ocean Art competition was nothing short of extraordinary,” said Nirupam Nigam, organizer of the contest and President of Bluewater Photo & 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.”

World-class judges and prizes

Judged by top underwater photography experts, including Marelux Ambassador Ipah Uid Lynn, the competition awarded over $60,000 in prizes. Winners received luxury dive trips in destinations like the Galapagos and Indonesia, as well as cutting-edge underwater gear. These prizes aim to inspire future generations of photographers to explore and protect marine life.

A message of conservation

The goal of The Ocean Art contest isn’t only to showcase the beauty and diversity of underwater life. It also aims to spread the message of conservation, inspiring photographers and the public alike to appreciate and protect our underwater world. Take a look at the category winners below, and the Underwater Photography Guide to explore the entire gallery and immerse yourself in the magic of the ocean.

More from Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest

• These underwater photos are breathtakingly beautiful – they won the 2018 Ocean Art underwater photo competition
• 2019 Ocean Art contest winners show the incredible beauty and diversity of the underwater world
• Winners of 2020 Ocean Art “Safe under the Sea” contest reveal the magnificent underwater world
• Stunning close-up shot of two pike fighting wins 2021 Ocean Art contest
• Close-up of octopus mom and her babies win 2022 Ocean Art underwater photo contest
• A rare glimpse of the swimming macaque wins 2023 Ocean Art contest
• Graceful shark ballet wins 2024 Ocean Art Underwater contest

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