Ocean Conservancy Announces Winners of 2022 Photo Contest

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Judge’s Choice Winner: “Surprise” by Alexandra Rose

Environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy has announced the winners of its 2022 photo contest. Underwater photographer and DPGer Alex Rose bagged the $1,000 grand prize for her “Judge’s Choice” winner, titled “Surprise” and captured at Los Islotes, off Mexico’s Baja coast.

“I desperately wanted to capture one of these pinnipeds blasting through a ball of fish, but it all happens so quickly and, without planning, it’s easy to miss these shots,” says Alex. “By the end of my dive, after watching this female sea lion swim figure eights around the same rocks, I finally timed it correctly and positioned myself right in the thick of the fish and waited for her to pop through. I think she was a bit surprised to see me!”

Rose’s photo was chosen from more than 1,000 submissions to four categories: Human Impact, Marine Wildlife, Ocean Stories, and Spectacular Seascapes. The judges were Thai marine biologist Shin Arunrugstichai, Australian freediving shooter Matt Bagley, Swiss conservation photographer Daisy Gilardini, and Hungarian documentary photographer Esther Horváth.

As well as the five winners, the judges chose some sweet honorable mention “Wildcard Winners”. Check out all the awarded images below, and head over to www.oceanconservancy.org to find out more about how the nonprofit group is working to protect our oceans.