Rafael Fernández Caballero has been named the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024 for his image of a rare Bryde’s whale about to consume a heart-shaped baitball.
Reflecting on being named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024, Caballero said:
“This is a dream come true. Spectacular. Being a part of the best compilation of ocean photography this year – and receiving the top recognition – drives me to keep believing in what I do and to continue showcasing the ocean’s wonders.”
Caballero’s image was chosen from more than 15,000 submissions from the world’s finest coastal, drone, surf and underwater photographers.
This year’s awarded photographs include dramatic wildlife encounters, such as a baitball being devoured from air and sea, out-of-place eels slithering over rocks at low tide, and an iridescent mahi mahi caught with a mouthful; beautiful examples of our species’ connection with the ocean, from a boat crew hauling an impossibly large net out of the water, conservationists tending to coral nurseries, and a freediver on their way into the depths of a blue hole; and stark reminders of our impact on the ocean, including an octopus sheltering in a plastic bag, a fin whale being hauled ashore for butchering, and a gannet accidentally hanged after its unnatural nest became a noose.
Malaysian photographer Ipah Uid Lynn is the recipient of this year’s Female Fifty Fathoms Award, having been nominated by her peers and selected by a special panel. The award celebrates pioneering and inspirational women in ocean photography.
Reflecting on her nomination and win, Lynn said:
“Receiving the Female Fifty Fathoms Award is an incredible honor and validation of the passion and dedication I’ve poured into my work over the years. It feels surreal and deeply gratifying. It’s a recognition that goes beyond personal achievement; it highlights the importance of storytelling through photography and the voices of women in this field. I’m truly humbled and inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of what I can capture and share with the world.”
