Uncommon Glimpses of Diverse Marine Life Take the Stage in This Yr’s Ocean Art Photography Contest — Colossal

Off the deep waters of Kumejima, Japan, Steven Kovacs captured a picture that might be awarded Best in Show for the 2025 Ocean Art Photography Contest. Traveling to the Okinawa prefecture within the hopes of encountering a scarcely documented species of larval goosefish, Kovacs spent practically two weeks blackwater diving earlier than photographing the uncommon second.

“Unfortunately, this beautiful little fish turned out to be incredibly uncooperative and difficult to photograph,” Kovacs says. “After spending some time with it, I was very fortunate that, for one brief moment, it decided to yawn while facing the camera.” The ensuing picture is aptly titled “Tired fish.”

This previous yr, the annual contest noticed hundreds of entries spanning greater than 90 nations. From silky sharks in Cuba to small pipefish in Indonesia, every {photograph} highlights distinctive, fleeting underwater moments that always go unseen. Awardees took house greater than $60,000 in prizes, together with once-in-a-lifetime experiences similar to diving excursions, cruises, and liveaboard journeys.

Take a plunge into the online gallery of successful pictures, highlighting 14 distinctive classes. Find extra info and be careful for subsequent yr’s open name on the competition’s website.