Photography Competition

THE WINNERS

The winners of the Ninth Annual United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition were announced on June 8th, 2022, during the United Nations World Oceans Day (UNWOD) 2022 event at the UN Headquarters in New York. The free competition, which launched this past March, explored the six thematic categories linked to the overarching 2022 World Oceans day theme: “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean.” World-renowned judges including wildlife photographer Rathika Ramasamy, conservation photojournalist and marine biologist Sirachai Arunrugstichai, and underwater photographer Y. Zin Kim, selected first, second, and third place winners for the categories. Winners were selected from thousands of global entries made by both amateur and professional photographers.

The United Nations World Oceans Day event and the photo competition are hosted by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, produced with the contribution of Oceanic Global and made possible by La Mer. The annual competition is curated by Ellen Cuylaerts, and coordinated with DivePhotoGuide (DPG) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.

The 2022 winning photographers hail from over 12 different countries. Their names include: Cao Nyugen Vu, Christophe Mason-Parker (“Above Water Seascapes”), Nicholas Hahn, Nat Sumanatemeya, Damir Zurub (“Underwater Seascapes”), Aunk Horwang, Nuno Vasco Rodrigues, Rick Morris (Revitalization), Supachai Veerayutthanon, Amitava Chandra, Celia Kujala (“Coastal Communities”), Viktor Lyagushkin, Jennifer Johnson, Gabriel Barathieu (“Ocean Critters”), Giacomo d’Orlando, Tom Vierus (“Nature-Based Solutions & Ocean Exploration”). All participants signed a charter of 14 commitments regarding ethics in photography.

The United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition is an ongoing tradition that calls on photographers and artists from around the world to communicate the beauty of the ocean and the importance of the respective UNWOD themes each year. Winning photos from past years can additionally be seen at www.unworldoceansday.org.

Revitalization

© Aunk Horwang (Thailand). Revitalization – Winner
Ghost nets are some of the deadliest forms of marine pollution in the Thai oceans. On frequent occasions, ghost fishing nets entangle large marine creatures like this manta ray. This can be life threatening to them if not rescued, for example by a diver

© Nuno Vasco Rodrigues (Portugal). Revitalization – 2nd Place
Top: A female sperm whale and its calf swim in the waters around the Azores Islands, Portugal. These animals were hunted in this region until the 1980s, but today they are protected and the population is thriving. They became a symbol of the region and attract tourists from all around the world, who can go and see the sperm whales while on local whale-watching tours. Middle: A team of scientists collects ropes and old nets from the sea surface south off Pico Island, Azores. Lost and abandoned fishing gear is the cause of death for marine life globally, every day. Bottom: A scientist from the University of the Azores prepares to release a tagged loggerhead sea turtle off Pico Island. The tag, attached to the animal’s carapace, will collect information about its movements, which is critical to better establish conservation strategies for this endangered species

© Rick Morris (USA). Revitalization – 3rd Place
The three images in this series, “Welcome To The Neighborhood”, highlight the efforts and result of replanting newly raised corals on depleted reefs of the Florida Keys. These corals were raised to be environmentally adapted to their new environment to enhance viability and survival

Above Water Seascapes

© Cao Nguyen Vu (Vietnam). Above Water Seascapes — Winner
“Ocean Lotus Leaf”: In every profession we can find challenges but also beauty. When the fishermen head out on the water, they hope to return with boats full of fish and shrimp out of necessity. I simply want to convey the beauty of the art of fishing with seine nets in my homeland, Quang Ngai province, Vietnam

© Christophe Mason-Parker (UK). Above Water Seascapes — 2nd Place
A lineup of lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens) and blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) cruise in the shallow waters of Aldabra Atoll in the Republic of Seychelles. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, Aldabra is a shining example of the effect that 40 years of protection can have on biodiversity

© Cao Nguyen Vu (Vietnam). Above Water Seascapes — 3rd Place
“Matrix of Boats”: This image shows fishermen’s boats lined up neatly when anchored to avoid super typhoon No. 9. It was the strongest super typhoon in 30 years, hitting Quang Ngai, my hometown, causing havoc: 325 completely destroyed houses, and more than 140,000 houses were damaged

Underwater Seascapes

© Nicholas Hahn (Argentina). Underwater Seascapes — Winner
“Highway of Life”: A diamond stingray and a one-eyed porcupinefish search for a meal in the sand as hundreds of bigeye jacks school behind them. The incredible biomass in the Cabo Pulmo National Park (Baja California Sur) allows for some surreal sights. Protected areas such as these serve as a strong example of how plentiful our oceans can be when given the chance to recover

© Nat Sumanatemeya (Thailand). Underwater Seascapes — 2nd Place
Julia Nilsson freedives with thousands of stingless golden jellyfish in Ongeim'l Tketau, or Fifth Lake, on Eil Malk Island in Palau. The image was taken in 2019 when the lake reopened after being closed for over two years. The impact of El Niño in 2016 caused declining numbers of golden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake and the closure aimed to give nature time to recover

© Damir Zurub (Croatia). Underwater Seascapes — 3rd Place
This image was taken in late 2021 when I was diving in Los Islotes, La Paz, Mexico, where a large colony of sea lions lives. Conversation and closeness with these animals was an unforgettable experience and I hope to have the opportunity to visit this beautiful place again

Coastal Communities

© Supachai Veerayutthanon (Thailand). Coastal Communities – Winner
The Bajau, for many generations, from birth to death, from young to old, spend their entire lives on their boats. They are not citizens of any state. The sea is their birthplace and their only home on Earth

© Amitava Chandra (India). Coastal Communities — 2nd Place
A couple have a family discussion after lunch at their thatched dwelling place. They belong to a fishing community that ventures out on the high seas to earn their livelihood. Nights are spent at sea to fish, and the natural sunlight during the day is used to contribute to the process of drying fish. They live on and around the ocean, and they are totally dependent on it for a sustainable living in this difficult geographical area. This image was shot in the coastal Frazuregunge area in the state of West Bengal in India

© Celia Kujala (USA). Coastal Communities — 3rd Place
“Coexistence”: In Puerto Rawson, Argentina, the Chubut River enters the Atlantic Ocean. The fishing boats line the northern bank of the river ready to go out each day. Across from them on the southern bank lives a colony of South American sea lions. Though they might sometimes eat scraps from the fishermen and catch fish in the river, they also go out into the ocean to hunt. However, for now evening is coming and it is time for all to rest

Nature-Based Solutions & Ocean Exploration

© Giacomo d’Orlando (Italy). Nature-Based Solutions & Ocean Exploration – Winner
Adriana Campili, marine biology researcher, checks the status of the Reef Aquarium inside the laboratory of the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The AIMS is the most specialized authority in charge of monitoring conditions on the Great Barrier Reef. Inside its Sea Simulator the most state-of-the-art experiments are carried out on corals, aiming to secure a future for our reefs. In this image, I wanted to depict the close connection between human beings and the marine ecosystem, underlining the importance of this natural bond. Location: Townsville, Australia

© Tom Vierus (Germany). Nature-Based Solutions & Ocean Exploration — 2nd Place
Hundreds of mangrove seedlings grow in a small bay of an island south of Fiji’s main island Viti Levu as part of an initiative by the Fijian government aimed at mangrove reforestation initiatives around the entire country. The project encourages coastal communities to grow mangrove seedlings, which are bought by the government at a guaranteed price and transported to various reforestation locations throughout Fiji

© Nuno Vasco Rodigues (Portugal). Nature-Based Solutions & Ocean Exploration — 3rd Place
A team of scientific divers assesses the marine biodiversity on the top of a seamount in Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal. Marine protected areas have been established in the region and local scientists do regular monitoring surveys in order to understand the impact of protection

Ocean Critters

© Viktor Lyagushkin (Georgia). Ocean Critters — Winner
“Aliens Meet Spaceship”: Caprellas, also known as skeleton shrimps, are very funny and tiny animals: They grow to a maximum of 6cm long. They are very social and active, eating non-stop and fighting with each other. The “spaceship” is a Bolinopsis infundibulum, the common northern comb jelly. Bolinopsis doesn’t sting but is carnivorous and eats everything it catches, even other comb jellies. In this image it is floating under the ice

© Jennifer Johnson (USA). Oceanic Critters — 2nd Place
A school of fish hovering around a tube-dwelling anemone, Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia. This tube anemone is a member of the Cerianthidae family. They typically eat small invertebrates and it poses no threat to the hovering school of fish presenting me with this beautifully ethereal underwater scene

© Gabriel Barathieu (France). Oceanic Critters — 3rd Place
A school of catfish photographed at Mayotte Island using a long exposure with flash triggering in strobe mode (five triggers during exposure time). This technique gives relief and movement to a photo which freezes a moment in nature

© Aunk Horwang (Thailand). Oceanic Critters — Honorable Mention
Juvenile fish using a giant jellyfish as their feeding ground, protective shelter, and locomotion. Photographed at Losin Island, Thailand

THE CONTEST

CONTEST RULES

General Rules

The contest is open to entrants of all skill levels.

Photo contest staff and judges are not allowed to enter the contest.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 in New York, during a hybrid UN World Oceans Day event, hosted by Oceanic Global as strategic partner for the day, and published on www.unworldoceansday.org shortly afterwards.

Entries may have been taken from any camera, digital or film (as scanned slides).

Conservation rules will be strictly observed. Flora and fauna should never be stressed or endangered for the sake of a photo. Entries suspected of involving the following behavior will be disqualified:
- Photographers visibly damaging the environment (e.g., gear dragging or kicking up sand, divers exhibiting poor buoyancy control)
- Animals with signs of stress (e.g., puffed puffers, inking octopus)
- Animals moved to an unnatural environment or risky location
- Marine life being touched or placed (e.g., nudibranchs, coral polyps, seahorse tails)
Entrants will be obliged to agree to the following charter:

CHARTER OF ETHICS FOR PARTICIPANTS

United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition

I, working in the underwater realm, commit myself to the following code of ethics and bringing education and awareness around my encounters, to help preserve our oceans and blue planet!

I will use my skills and ability as an image maker to attempt to faithfully reproduce the beauty, splendor and majesty of the underwater world and by doing so, to encourage other to become engaged in protecting it.

I will use my skills and ability as an image maker to attempt to faithfully reproduce the beauty, splendor and majesty of the underwater world and by so doing, encourage others to become engaged in protecting it.

I will use my skills and my voice in documenting the challenges the oceans face to raise awareness and as a call to action.

I will not stress or endanger subjects (fauna and flora) for the sake of an image. If the position of the subject is not contributing to a good image, I will either just document or observe. I will not manipulate or move subjects to an unnatural environment, not by touching nor by provocation.

I will work locally if applicable and contribute time to document and tell stories in support of local conservation initiatives.

I will consider the impact my image has once it gets distributed without the right context and withhold images that can spark sensationalism and wrong practices.

I will research my subjects before attempting to take images or footage of them, hence being aware of their behavior in the water and my reaction to them. This will create an awareness needed to keep the subjects and myself safe in the water. I realize by not understanding my subject I can unwillingly provoke a potentially dangerous situation in the water, thereby potentially creating a media backlash that disadvantages the subject (cf. sharks in the media).

I will practice what I preach! For example, in the fight against single-use plastic, I will use my reusable water bottle, hot drinks container, and so on. When attending events, I will share my concerns and ideas and will try to inspire not by pointing fingers but by giving the right example myself. I will not accuse nor name and shame but graciously lead by example to inspire others to do the same.

I will inform myself and people around me about sustainable food and better consumption choices, but will do that in a respectful and polite way.

I will create a rational dialogue with those that want to learn, talk at schools and inspire the next generations.

I will commit to negotiating a fair price when my images are used for commercial purposes. This will allow me and future image makers to create images with an impact to show the world and tell important stories.

I will contribute images or video/film to United Nations World Oceans Day communication activities and will take part in promoting the UN WOD Photo Competition.

Where I can, I will participate in UN World Oceans Day events and spread the word on social media #unworldoceansday. I will also help building the UN WOD movement during the whole year and will direct people to the portal site to share events, resources and content.

I will contribute to the UN World Oceans Day ripple effect in everything I do and understand that actions speak louder than words.

I will commit to dialogue and looking for constructive solutions when challenged and understand the power of compromise and diplomacy to obtain a common goal in conservation.

Images that have won or placed in photo contests with winning entries announced before March 1st, 2022 may not be submitted. Any single image that was part of a portfolio, but did not place as a single image, is eligible to be entered. A winning image is defined as follows:
- Any image that has placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a major photography contest (to be determined subjectively by judges)
- Any image that has placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any photo of the year-type contest. Photos of the day, week, or month are eligible

Photographers retain all copyrights to their images. The organizers of World Oceans Day Photo Contest retain the right to publish the contest entries in any format to congratulate or feature the winners and their respective images, and to promote future World Oceans Day events, as well as for awareness-raising purposes for the work of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. Winning images will be included in a press release for third party websites and publications in the context of congratulating and/or featuring the winners and winning images, and to promote future World Oceans Day events. Winning images can be used by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations and their partners to promote awareness, preservation and conservation. Strict guidelines requiring photo credit and specific one-time press release usage are issued along with the press release.

Note on photo manipulation: Post-processing images is allowed. This includes global adjustments to exposure, contrast, burning, dodging, cropping, sharpening, noise reduction, and tone. Minor cleaning of images is permitted, including the removal of backscatter, dust and scratches. HDR, panoramas, focus stacking or other techniques that involve using multiple images taken at the same time and place are also allowed.

Adding, removing or moving animals, people, plants or other objects is not allowed. For example, moving a fish, removing a reef element or adding a glow to a divers torch is not acceptable.

While digital manipulation is permitted, please keep in mind this not a Photoshop competition. All images should accurately represent the subject matter and nature. Images that appear to be overly processed may be disqualified at the judges’ discretion.

Photo Submission Guidelines

Entries must be saved in JPEG format and should be sized to be between 2,000 and 6,000 pixels in the longest dimension. Please limit your images to a maximum file size of 5,000KB (5MB). Images will be viewed on a large monitor and should be in the AdobeRGB 1998 or sRGB color space.

Please do not include any watermark or borders on your images. These elements will detract from the image’s impact. It’s not that we don't want you to protect your images; it’s just hard to appreciate an image with a watermark over it. (We will keep the display of winning images consistent, and when your image is displayed, it will be clearly labeled as your image.)

The same image can only be entered into one category.

Note: Entrants should retain high-resolution and RAW files, if applicable, of their submissions. In the event your submission is selected as a finalist or winner, you will be asked to submit a high-resolution image for printing and display, and, if applicable, a RAW image to check if adjustments made to the image comply with the rules.

JUDGES

CO-ORGANIZERS

If your organization would be interested in supporting the Annual World Oceans Day Photo Contest please contact us here.

Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations: Within the United Nations, the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, (“DOALOS”) serves as the secretariat of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement. It also assists the General Assembly of the United Nations in its policy-making role in relation to oceans and the law of the sea, among many other functions. DOALOS also assists the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel in his role as Focal Point for UN-Oceans. In these capacities, DOALOS coordinates United Nations activities relating to World Oceans Day, and seeks to raise awareness about the role the United Nations and international law can play in the sustainable development and use of the oceans and their living and non-living resources.

World Ocean Network is a network of 500 members including natural history museums, aquaria, and foundations, who collectively reach an audience of 600 million individuals per year in 60 States. Through its membership, it brings together the worlds of politics, science, public administration and the media, and is in a very good position to raise awareness, inform and mobilise citizens on the issue of ocean preservation.

DivePhotoGuide (DPG) is a comprehensive underwater photography and videography resource and award-winning website for photographers and videographers of all levels. DPG has a community of over 50,000 underwater photographers and videographers from around the globe. Several times each year DPG also hosts underwater photography expeditions.

IAEA OA-ICC: The Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) is an IAEA “Peaceful Uses Initiative” (PUI) project based at the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco. The OA-ICC acts as a hub to promote and facilitate global actions on ocean acidification in three overall areas: science, capacity building and communication.