Miniature “Ladybugs of the Sea” Stole the Spotlight in Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025

A pair of tiny, color-splashed amphipods has earned Indonesia-based macro photographer Yury Ivanov the coveted title of Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025. Captured off the coast of Bali, Ivanov’s winning shot reveals a breathtakingly intimate moment in the ocean’s miniature world – two 3mm-long amphipods, affectionately dubbed “ladybugs of the sea,” resting in perfect symmetry atop coral.

[Related Reading: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 Finalists Reveal the Stunning and Stark Reality of Our Blue Planet]

This extraordinary piece of ocean photography showcases not only technical brilliance but emotional depth. The image, bursting with vivid colors and fine detail, beat out more than 15,000 entries from the world’s best underwater photographers.

The judges praised its quiet narrative and vibrant clarity, calling it a rare glimpse into a world often overlooked.

“It required a lot of patience and precision to compose and light the shot properly,” Yury explained. “The result reveals an intimate glimpse of underwater life that is often overlooked.”

Yury Ivanov: From Dive Master to Ocean Photographer

Based in Bali, Indonesia, and a PADI Dive Master with over 15,000 dives logged, Yury Ivanov is a veteran of the underwater world. After relocating to Asia more than 14 years ago, he started exploring Bali’s reefs not only as a diver, but also as a photographer.

Fascinated by marine biodiversity, he became a specialist in nudibranch identification and co-authored the respected field guide Nudibranchs of The Coral Triangle. His work spans destinations like Palau, the Maldives, and the Black Sea, but Bali’s colorful macro habitats keep his creative vision grounded and thriving.

The Winning Image: One of the Ocean’s Smallest Wonders

The judging panel connected deeply with Ivanov’s synchronized amphipods image. It wasn’t just technically perfect, but it also told a quiet story. It’s a reminder that the ocean’s most powerful beauty sometimes exists at the smallest scale.

“The winners of this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year remind us that photography is more than art – it is a bridge,” says Will Harrison, Director of Ocean Photographer of the Year. “Their images connect people to the ocean in ways words cannot, reaching those who may never dive in it or paddle on it, but whose lives are deeply intertwined with it. In a time of planetary urgency, this year’s photographers invite the world to see, feel, and ultimately care. Their work is critical, because we protect what we understand.”

2025 Edition Highlights: Beauty, Urgency, and Ocean Conservation

Oceanographic Magazine, in partnership with Blancpain, organizes the Ocean Photographer of the Year contest. The contest is more than a celebration of visual art, it’s a call to action.

This year’s finalists explored both whimsical and urgent themes: a puffin in peril, a stingray cloaked in sand, rescuers saving a stranded whale, and the harsh reality of whale hunting in the Faroe Islands. Each photo told a story of ocean fragility and resilience.

Honoring Women in Ocean Photography: Jialing Cai Wins Female Fifty Fathoms Award

Also celebrated this year is Jialing Cai, the recipient of the Female Fifty Fathoms Award. It’s a peer-nominated accolade that honors trailblazing women in ocean photography.

“Being honoured by people I respect empowers me to dive even more fearlessly into the deep,” Jialing said. Her work continues to push boundaries and inspire emerging ocean photographers around the globe.

Exhibition Dates

Yury Ivanov’s winning image and other category winners and finalists will be showcased in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on November 6, 2025. Next up is the UK exhibit at The Historic Dockyard Chatham on March 28, 2026.

Take a look at the category winners below, and explore the full gallery of winners and finalists at Ocean Photographer of the Year’s official website.

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 Category Winners

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