Jaw-dropping leopard seal wins U/W Awards Australasia

The 9 class winners of the second annual underwater imaging competitors targeted on Australasia have been revealed on stage on the Go Diving Show ANZ in Sydney.

The Underwater Awards Australasia 2025 competitors known as for underwater photographers from all over the world to submit what they thought-about their most charming and compelling pictures and movies from the area. Plenty of worldwide practitioners confirmed up among the many runners-up and extremely recommended entries, although a lot of the class winners had been Australians.

The judging panel comprised photographers Tobias Friedrich, Tanya Houppermans, Jayne Jenkins, Scott Portelli, Matty Smith and William Tan, with Philip Hamilton and Ross Long to evaluate the Reels Showcase video class.

Contest organisers DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Underwater Australasia and UW Images had lined up prizes of dive-trips and picture and video tools donated by sponsors and valued at round A$70,000 (£34,000).

“Best of Show” along with his open-mouthed leopard seal shot Wide Open was US photographer James Ferrara, who took high spot within the International Waters class. 

“Known for their mix of curiosity and aggression, they’re a dream subject for any underwater photographer,” says Ferrara of the seals. 

“While these highly effective predators usually relaxation on ice floes to preserve vitality after an enormous meal, I used to be lucky sufficient to spend time within the water with this one. At first, it was standoffish, holding its distance however, because the encounter progressed, it grew to become more and more curious. 

“By the end, it was opening its mouth and flashing its teeth – a clear display of dominance, a reminder of who’s in charge! Though I felt a jolt of nerves, the thrill of experiencing my dream scenario kept me focused, present and absolutely in awe.”

The different class winners had been: 

SHARKS winner: Vadim Belakhov (Australia) Sunbather In The Shallows

The Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) is an Australian endemic species with a blunt head and harness-like markings, generally seen resting immobile throughout the day, usually wedged between rocks or mendacity on algae-covered seabeds. 

This one was captured calmly resting in a shallow patch of vibrant inexperienced macroalgae, totally uncovered to the mid-day solar filtering by means of clear water in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Victoria.

“The scene felt unusually serene and visually striking,” says Belakhov. “I approached slowly and took the shot. Ambient mild outlined the tones, whereas my strobe crammed in delicate element with out disturbing the pure temper. 

“These sharks pose no threat to humans and often allow a slow, careful approach, making them ideal subjects for close-focus wide-angle photography. This individual remained perfectly still, seemingly unfazed by my presence.” 

Port Jackson sharks are nocturnal feeders, utilizing robust jaws and molar-like enamel to crush sea urchins, molluscs and crustaceans. In winter, they return to the identical coastal websites to breed, and divers incessantly encounter their distinctive spiral egg circumstances lodged in rocky crevices. “This image reflects the quiet beauty of southern Australia’s overlooked urban-adjacent marine life,” says the photographer. 

CONSERVATION winner: Neil Vincent (Australia) Crocodile And Plastic Bottle

While watching the crocodiles catch diamond-backed mullet in Kakadu National Park at Cahill Crossing, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Vincent noticed a vacationer on the financial institution throw a water-bottle into the water close to a crocodile. “Reflexively, it snapped on the bottle, crushed it a few occasions, after which swallowed it. 

“In the heat of the hunt, crocodiles don’t understand plastic water bottles. I still don’t understand why people use plastic water bottles – and I certainly don’t understand the stupidity of people!”

SYDNEY winner: Talia Greis (Australia) The Conductor

An enormous cuttlefish drifts gracefully by means of the shallows of Shark Point, a shocking but demanding shore-dive nestled in Clovelly. “These magnificent creatures make their seasonal debut in Sydney’s waters at the peak of winter, offering divers a rare chance to encounter them in crystal-clear visibility amid a thriving marine ecosystem,” says Greis. “With moments like these, who needs to travel all the way to Whyalla?”

AUSTRALIAN winner: Marcia Riederer (Australia) Minke Elegance

“The sea is calm, I cling to the mermaid line trailing behind the boat. Then, from the blue, a shadow begins to form,” says Riederer. “ It grows bigger, clearer – smooth gray pores and skin, a white blaze on the aspect – and abruptly I’m staring into the attention of a dwarf minke whale. 

“It doesn’t rush. Instead, it glides in a sluggish, deliberate arc, as if weighing me up. I keep nonetheless. The whale attracts nearer, its presence filling the water round me. For a second, I ponder, am I observing it, or is it learning me? 

“Scientists still don’t know why minkes approach humans, but it feels like we are both simply curious about each other. It’s a rare and humbling privilege to share space with such a remarkable creature, a reminder that the ocean is full of wonders and we should take better care of it.” The encounter occurred at Ribbon Reefs on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

PORTFOLIO winner: Jake Wilton (Australia) Ningaloo: A Living Tapestry

This portfolio showcases a sequence of extraordinary moments from Ningaloo Reef, Australia’s largest fringing reef and one of many world’s richest marine ecosystems, says Wilton. 

“A freediver drifts among the many haunting stays of a whale skeleton resting on the seafloor, whereas above, a manta ray glides by means of a dwelling veil of education fish within the shallow lagoon. In Coral Bay, spangled emperors faculty tightly above the coral gardens, captured in a putting above-and-below perspective. 

“A southern giant petrel – a rare visitor from the Antarctic – swoops in to inspect the camera, adding an unexpected encounter far from its usual range. On the sand flats, a tiger shark patrols with quiet precision, hunting for unsuspecting prey, while in deeper waters, a whale shark moves through a dense baitball, reliant on faster predators like tuna and sharks to break it apart. Together, these six images reveal the diversity, vitality, and raw drama of Ningaloo.”

SMARTPHONE / ACTION-CAM winner: Luciano Morales Corinaldesi (Argentina) Green Turtle Stack

“Ningaloo Reef is a place of infinite possibilities, where anything and everything might appear,” says Corinaldesi. “Still, nothing ready me for what unfolded in Lighthouse Bay, the place I’d simply visited a manta cleansing station. 

“On my manner again throughout 500m of sand-flats, I used to be surprised by the sight of three turtles stacked atop each other – a very unforgettable second. Since mating will be taxing for females, I paid shut consideration to any indicators of disturbance and stored sufficient distance in order to not trigger misery. 

“How this story ended, I cannot say, but I’d like to think that, next season, green turtle hatchlings might carry the sequel forward.”

TOUGH TG winner: Imogen Manins (Australia) Mosely’s Glistening Brood

This class is for any picture captured with an OM System or Olympus Tough compact. Known as ‘Mosely’ within the SeadragonSearch database, this weedy seadragon has returned to Flinders Pier in Western Port Bay, Victoria, annually since 2018 to courtroom, mate and carry a valuable brood of eggs, says Manins. 

“On an early morning dive, I used to be delighted to come across this very relaxed and photogenic seadragon as soon as extra, his freshly positioned brood glistening as daylight streamed by means of the water. 

“In this image, I wanted to capture not only Mosely but also the thick meadow of sea nymph (Amphibolis antarctica), which forms such an important part of the habitat at Flinders.”

REELS SHOWCASE video winner: Laura Gourgas (Australia/France) The Coral Chain Reaction

“The Ningaloo Reef has given me countless unforgettable moments, but few compare to witnessing the annual coral spawning,” says Gourgas, one other class winner whose entry was produced on this a part of Western Australia. 

“That single occasion sparks a whole net of life. Plankton blooms, krill collect, and shortly the giants arrive – whale sharks and oceanic mantas, drawn right here to feast. From turtles to reef sharks, and numerous different species, each a part of this ecosystem relies on the coral as its basis. 

“This reel is a collection of moments I’ve captured over the years, choosing those rare times when the spawning, the feeding and the life of the reef all aligned. Despite recent bleaching events, it’s a powerful reminder of the Ningaloo’s resilience – and why protecting it is so vital.” Gourgas used a Canon EOS R5 digicam in an Isotta housing and a DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone.

Exhibited metallic prints of the successful and runner-up entries had been out there for buy on the present, with half of the proceeds donated to the competitors’s environmental companions Australian Marine Conservation Society and Take 3 For The Sea.

Winners of final yr’s occasion had been additionally featured on Divernet. All the winners, runners-up and extremely recommended entries from the 2025 competitors will be considered at UnderwaterCompetition.com.