“With marine life, you never know what you might see, and that’s part of the magic,” says underwater photographer on her Mono Award-winning picture

Photographing wildlife is unpredictable, however photographing wildlife underwater is a complete different degree of unpredictability. First, you’ll want to be a powerful diver; second, you want strong digital camera expertise; and third, you want a stroke of luck – however when it pays off, it may be magical.

That’s in line with Brooke Pyke, an Australian photographer and expedition chief who focuses on underwater images, and who not too long ago gained the “Animal” class at The Mono Awards 2026.

Hosted by Australian Photography and Capture magazines, the annual images competitors celebrates the world’s finest black-and-white (monochromatic) imagery, this yr attracting over 3,000 entries from Australia, New Zealand, and different nations worldwide.

Speaking to the competitors organizer about her profitable scene, Pyke mentioned: “With marine life, you never know what you might see, and that’s part of the magic.” The magic occurred in Baja California, the peninsula state on Mexico’s northwestern coast.

Brooke Pyke’s gear and settings: Canon EOS R5 Mark II | Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM | Nauticam underwater housing | 1/320sec | f/9 | ISO 400

Although the region is a hotspot for divers seeking a glimpse of incredible species such as whale sharks, sea lions, and mobula rays, Pyke said that she kept her “expectations low,” knowing that wildlife photography always “requires patience.”

However, after “plunging” into the Pacific waters with her Canon EOS R5 Mark II in a Nauticam underwater housing, luck was on the diver and photographer’s side. “I looked down to see around a hundred [mobula] rays moving slowly across the sand, silhouetted against a glowing white backdrop,” she said.

Using a Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye lens, Pyke was able to capture the entire group of rays along with the surroundings to create the shot, finishing it off dramatically with a black-and-white edit.

“Shooting over white sand was an amazing opportunity, with their shapes contrasting beautifully against the ripples,” she explained.

As this year’s Mono Award “Animal” category winner, Pyke snagged a healthy AU$2,500 (approximately $1,800 / £1,300) along with an 8TB Synology NAS storage. Not bad considering she had no idea what she was going to see that day.

To view all of the 2026 commended frames, as well as past winners, head to The Mono Awards website.

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