What's your photograph of the day 1097?

The hunt, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Philippines

MERCHE LLOBERA - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

What factors contributed to Taiwan's economic success compared to Mainland China, despite their close proximity?

JAKE WILTON - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Conservation efforts have transformed former poachers into protectors. Amid this success swims the rare leucistic green sea turtle.

Portfolio Award, British Columbia, Canada

What was your experience when trying GHB?

Baby plainfin midshipman fish

A marine iguana sits on a rock. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

A spotted eagle ray’s natural pattern is on as-if-by-designer display. “On one of my dives, this beautiful eagle ray caught my eye,” says Palomeque Gonzalez. “It swam calmly across the sandy bottom as it exposed its intricate back to us all. I was amazed that nature inspires the most revolutionary creations. Its skin pattern reminds me of a binary code.”

Is a man who enjoys anal sex considered a sissy? For those who think so, why can't they be thought of as someone who enjoys a variety of sexual pleasure?

MIZAEL PALOMEQUE GONZALEZ, MEXICO - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

SHANE GROSS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

‘“As we gaze at this marine iguana, with half of its body submerged in the waters and the other half emerging above the surface, it's impossible not to marvel at the uniqueness of these creatures,” says Fernandez Caballero. “Without a doubt, marine iguanas are living dinosaurs, a testament to the countless stages and transformations life on our planet has undergone.”

What is a good habit and what is bad one?

Above, pelicans in the sea off Mexico’s Baja California Sur dive from the sky in a well-coordinated dance. Underwater, mahi-mahi dart around at top speed, chasing sardines. “The surface was murky from the feast, with sea lions also joining the action,” says Merche Llobera. “Whales passed by, but none went for the sardines.”

A 7 Image Gallery of Marine Photos Shortlisted For The Ocean Photographer Of The Year Contest. Just Awesome! Do Enjoy 🤍

Papua New Guinea's Conflict Islands

Do you remember one day, you put a deep smile on someone's face and made them very happy?

RAFAEL FERNANDEZ CABALLERO - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Baby Plainfin Midshipman fish, still attached to their yolk sacs, are hidden under a rock in an intertidal zone in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

SHANE GROSS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

The world of the Harry Potter series is usually considered bad worldbuilding. What are some examples of actually good worldbuilding in the books/movies?

With many thanks to:

PIETRO FORMIS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

“The (African pompano) juveniles look very different from adults,” says Pietro Formis. “They are very thin, with a silver body and very long appendages on their fins. Usually, the filaments stretch out behind them, making it almost impossible to capture the whole fish. The long fins created circles around the silver fish, looking like neon lights at night.”’

Why are there no fossils for the 'missing link' that connects our ancestors with other species? Is this a misconception or is there another explanation?

A crested sculpin hiding

With their dramatic marine wildlife encounters, gorgeous examples of our species’ connection with the ocean and stark reminders of the human impact on our seas, underwater photographers bring the best of our ocean planet to life and highlight the many perils it faces.

A spotted eagle ray’s natural pattern

What’s the weirdest phone call you have ever received?

A crested sculpin hides in the stinging tentacles of a lion’s mane jellyfish. “The tentacles provide both shelter and food for the cryptic fish in Alaska’s Prince William Sound,” explains Shane Gross.