Simon Temple has taken countless photos of seals while scuba diving off the coast of southwestern England. But he’s captured some of his favorite seal shots while snorkeling.
“It’s the light near the surface that transforms the scene,” the underwater photographer says. “In the top couple of meters, color and contrast are stronger, giving the images far more impact.”
Those visual elements converge in his captivating close-up of a seal gazing directly into the camera as it surfaces for air, its wide, dark eyes and fanned whiskers framed by the water’s light-speckled surface skimming the top of its head. The image exudes a calm curiosity, and it just won honorable mention in the Cold Water category of the annual Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition. The contest aims to highlight extraordinary moments from beneath the surface that usually go unseen.
Photographers from 90 countries submitted thousands of photos this year, with winners across 14 categories announced on Friday. The shots capture a range of fascinating underwater sights — a sea snake tying itself into a knot while shedding its skin in the Philippines, a mated pair of Sargassum crabs in Florida, a seahorse giving birth in Japan, and a trapped moray eel in Italy appearing to ask for help (fortunately, the photographer freed the creature after taking its picture).
The contest is sponsored by the Underwater Photography Guide, which offers tips, tutorials and gear reviews, among other guidance. This year’s winners netted more than $60,000 in prizes, including dive cruises and underwater photography gear.
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“These images are the result of obsession, patience and exploration,” Nirupam Nigam, editor-in-chief of the Underwater Photography Guide, said in a statement. “Many of this year’s winners spent weeks, or even years, chasing moments most people will never witness.”
One such winner is Steve Kovacs, who took first place in the Blackwater category, as well as the coveted best-in-show prize, for his whimsical image of a monkfish in Japan appearing to yawn. Kovacs knew he wanted to shoot this type of fish, one of his favorite subjects, and finally spotted one after nearly two weeks of nightly searching while diving in the deep waters off Kumejima, Japan.
See a sampling of the contest winners below. You can browse all the winning photos here, and learn more about how the photographers captured them.