89 Amazing Photos From The Finalists Of The Ocean Photography Awards 2021

89 Amazing Photos From The Finalists Of The Ocean Photography Awards 2021

The ocean is a mystical place. No one knows what's deep down in it. What creatures live there, what lost civilizations are at the bottom of it. Some people are really scared of that unknown and unexplored ocean; however, it can be very beautiful and stunning. Not to mention that it's vital for our survival.


The Ocean Photography Awards are back on Bored Panda to show you the beauty of our oceans. Photographers from all over the world gathered up and submitted stunning photos that could be the winners of the 2021 contest. The Ocean Photography Awards have a mission of showing the importance of preserving marine life and environments. The awards are divided into six different categories, which each will have their own winners in addition to the overall champion.


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#1 Conservation Photographer, Nicholas Samaras


"A seahorse clings to a face mask (in Stratoni, Greece)"


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#2 Youth Photographer, Hannah Le Leu


"A green sea turtle hatchling cautiously surfaces for air, to a sky full of hungry birds in Heron Island, Australia."


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#3 Community Choice Award, Phil De Glanville


"Surfer Jack Robinson rides the famous break known as ‘The Right’, home to some of the heaviest waves in the world."


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#4 Collective Portfolio Award, Stefan Christmann


"Male emperor penguins huddling during polar night, to stay warm as a group."


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#5 Adventure Photographer, Sebastien Pontoizeau


"A freediver duck dives to capture a photograph of a humpback whale."


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#6 Adventure Photographer, Steve Woods


"Sea lions swarm a diver. Vancouver Island, Canada"


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#7 Adventure Photographer, Grant Thomas


"Playful grey seals – a species that has been protected in the UK for decades under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. Farne Islands, United Kingdom"


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#8 Stefan Christmann


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#9 Adventure Photographer, Daisuke Kurashima


"A humpback whale dives into the blue, emitting a trail of bubbles as it descends. Okinawa, Japan"


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#10 Adventure Photographer, Tanya Houppermans


"An American crocodile glides through the water at sunset at Gardens of the Queen, Cuba, a protected marine reserve since 1996."


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#11 Adventure Photographer, Martin Broen


"A diver descends into a cenote. Quintana Roo, Mexico"


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#12 Community Choice Award, Michael Haluwana


"A pod of dolphins catches a wave. Cape Naturaliste, Western Australia"


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#13 Matty Smith


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#14 Community Choice Award, Fabrice Guerin


"A sea lion hunts mackerel off the coast of Baja (California Sur, Mexico)."


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#15 Ocean Conservation Photographer, Henley Spiers


"An olive ridley turtle ensnared by fishing gear, far offshore in the Pacific Ocean.
Baja California Sur, Mexico."


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#16 Stefan Christmann


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#17 Ocean Conservation Photographer, Stefan Christmann


"An emperor penguin chick stands on the edge of the ice-shelf, staring at the open water below. Atka Bay, Antarctica"


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#18 Matty Smith


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#19 Exploration Photographer, Scott Portelli


"False killer whales, in black and white. Ovaka, Tonga"


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#20 Ocean Conservation Photographer, Steven Kovacs


"A lizardfish tries to eat a cigarette filter. Florida, USA"


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#21 Galice Hoarau


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#22 Ocean Conservation Photographer, Steven Kovacs


"A female paper nautilus drifts along on a piece of trash. Anilao, Philippines"


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#23 Alex Kydd


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#24 Stefan Christmann


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#25 Matty Smith


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#26 Adventure Photographer, James Ferrara


"A sperm whale and sargassum seaweed. Roseau, Dominica"


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#27 Stefan Christmann


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#28 Exploration Photographer, Nadia Aly


"Emperor penguins stand tall against bracing winds. Snow Hill, Antarctica"


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#29 Adventure Photographer, Jake Wilton


"A manta ray, surrounded by a school of fish. Coral Bay, Western Australia"


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#30 Exploration Photographer, Matty Smith


"A southern bobtail squid puts on a performance. Wollongong Harbour, Australia "


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#31 Adventure Photographer, Scott Portelli


"A humpback whale calf crashes back into the ocean after a breach. Neiafu, Tonga "


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#32 Young Ocean Photographer, Mikayla Jones


"Two gray whales seemingly pose for the camera. Baja California, Mexico"


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#33 Young Ocean Photographer, Jack Mckee


"A juvenile flying fish, photographed from below. Lady Elliot Island, Australia"


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#34 Ocean Conservation Photographer, Thien Nguyen Ngoc


"Anchovy fishing boats photographed from above along the coastline of Phu Yen province, Vietnam. Phu Yen province, Vietnam"


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#35 Matty Smith


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#36 Community Choice Award, Ben Thouard


"A surfer wipeout, as captured from below the surface. Tahiti, French Polynesia"


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#37 Community Choice Award, Maxwel Hohn


"A sea nettle drifts in the shallows of Monterey Bay. California, USA"


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#38 Galice Hoarau


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#39 Stefan Christmann


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#40 Exploration Photographer, Matthew Bagley


"A southern bottle tail squid in the palm of a hand. Western Port Bay, Australia"


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#41 Matty Smith


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#42 Matty Smith


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#43 Matty Smith


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#44 Exploration Photographer, Steven Kovacs


"A rare deep water cusk eel larva. Florida, USA"


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#45 Exploration Photographer, Tobias Friedrich


"Life beneath a frozen fjord. Tasiilaq Fjord, East Greenland"


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#46 Galice Hoarau


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#47 Adventure Photographer, Ben Thouard


"A wave known as Teahupo’o, as seen from below. Tahiti, French Polynesia"


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#48 Adventure Photographer, Ben Thouard


"Surfer Matahi Drollet catches a wave known as Teahupo’o in Tahiti. Tahiti, French Polynesia"


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#49 Exploration Photographer, Steve Woods


"Coastal wolves play on a remote beach. British Columbia, Canada"


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#50 Exploration Photographer, Fabrice Guerin


"A freediver makes their way back to the surface following a dive. Quintana Roo, Mexico"


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#51 Alex Kydd


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#52 Adventure Photographer, Rodrigo Thome


"A shiver of hammerhead sharks."


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#53 Collective Portfolio Award, Steven Kovacs


"Larval lobster carrying four larval acorn worms which are one of its food sources."


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#54 Collective Portfolio Award, Grace Hoarau


"Snooty the lemon shark, Jupiter, Florida."


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#55 Alex Kydd


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#56 Alex Kydd


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#57 Alex Kydd


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#58 Alex Kydd


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#59 Collective Portfolio Award, Matty Smith


"Pacific Man o’ War, a colorful marine invader under an apocalyptic red sky."


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#60 Exploration Photographer, Martin Broen


"Speleothems cast long shadows at Cenote Dos Pisos (in Quintana Roo, Mexico)."


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#61 Steven Kovacs


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#62 Exploration Photographer, Martin Broen


"A cave diver is silhouetted against a colorful backdrop in cenote Chikin Ha, created by tannic acid. Quintana Roo, Mexico"


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#63 Alex Kydd


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#64 Conservation Photographer, Kimball Chen


"An endangered yellow-eyed penguin under a starry sky (in Curio Bay, New Zealand)"


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#65 Ocean Conservation, Galice Hoarau


A shark with a fishing hook and line protruding from its mouth.


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#66 Exploration Photographer, Scott Portelli


"A diver observes mating cuttlefish. Port Bonython, South Australia"


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#67 Alex Kydd


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#68 Alex Kydd


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#69 Stefan Christmann


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#70 Stefan Christmann


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#71 Galice Hoarau


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#72 Stefan Christmann


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#73 Steven Kovacs


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#74 Steven Kovacs


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#75 Matty Smith


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#76 Steven Kovacs


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#77 Steven Kovacs


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#78 Steven Kovacs


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#79 Steven Kovacs


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#80 Galice Hoarau


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#81 Galice Hoarau


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#82 Galice Hoarau


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#83 Adventure Photographer, Gergo Rugli


"A common dolphin photographed in the Port Stephens Marine Park off Broughton Island. Port Stephens, Australia "


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#84 Steven Kovacs


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#85 Steven Kovacs


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#86 Exploration Photographer, Matty Smith


"A portrait of a squid. Bushrangers Bay, Australia"


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#87 Galice Hoarau


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#88 Alex Kydd


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#89 Galice Hoarau


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