Every year, the Ocean Photography Awards organizes an award function for photographers from all over the world. This photography competition gives awards to photographers who capture beautiful shots of under- and above-water ecosystems.
The OPA team writes on their website “the Ocean Photography Awards are a celebration of our beautiful blue planet, as well as a platform to highlight the many plights it is facing”.
What’s amazing is that this year’s winner has been announced and we are glad that this photographer has won because he has captured a beautiful shot that we are totally in love with. This photo is taken by German photographer Tobias Baumgaertner.
The shot that won the Community Choice Award was taken by Tobias Baumgaertner in Melbourne, Australia
He says, “during times like this, the truly lucky ones are those that can be with the person/people they love most,” Tobias writes in the description of the photo posted on Instagram. “These two fairy penguins poised upon a rock overlooking the Melbourne skyline were standing there for hours, flipper in flipper, watching the sparkling lights of the skyline and ocean.”
“A volunteer approached me and told me that the white one was an elderly lady who had lost her partner and apparently so did the younger male to the left. Since then, they meet regularly, comforting each other and standing together for hours watching the dancing lights of the nearby city,” the photographer continues.
Turns out, both of these penguins had lost their partners and were often seen comforting each other
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“I spent 3 full nights with this penguin colony until I was able to get this picture,” the photographer shares. “Between not being able or allowed to use any lights and the tiny penguins continuously moving, rubbing their flippers on each other’s backs and cleaning one another, it was really hard to get a shot, but I got lucky during one beautiful moment. I hope you enjoy this moment as much as I did.” Tobias, we’re absolutely sure about that.
“I spent 3 full nights with this penguin colony until I was able to get this picture,” the photographer shares
“The way that these two lovebirds were caring for one another stood out from the entire colony. While all the other penguins were sleeping or running around, those two seemed to just stand there and enjoy every second they had together, holding each other in their flippers and talking about penguin stuff,” the photographer adds.
Besides this, The Ocean Photography Awards also has other six categories. They are The Ocean, Conservation, Adventure, Exploration, Young Photographer, Community Choice, and Collective Portfolio awards.
You can scroll down to look at the photography of the winner of each category.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year, Nadia Aly
Conservation Photographer of the Year, Matt Sharp
Adventure Photographer of the Year, Jason Gulley
Exploration Photographer of the Year, Ben Cranke
Young Photographer of the Year, Cruz Erdmann
Collective Portfolio Award, Nadia Aly
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