Aquatic Life, Winner: “Octopus Mother” by Kat Zhou
The California Academy of Sciences has unveiled the winners of its BigPicture photography competition, which celebrates stunning images from the natural world. Now in its 12th year, the competition is judged by a panel of nature and conservation photography experts, which is chaired by wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas. The Grand Prize Winner is “Lemur’s Tough Life” by Donglin Zhou, a Chinese wildlife photographer known for her nature documentaries.
Meanwhile, in the “Aquatic Life” category, it was DPG Photographer of the Week Kat Zhou who clinched the top award with her mind-blowing shot of a Caribbean reef octopus guarding her eggs at Florida’s Blue Heron Bridge (which also featured in her POTW portfolio). Various DPGers were also finalists in the “Aquatic Life” category as well as other categories, including “Art of Nature” and “Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora.”
Big congratulations to all the winners and runners-up in this year’s contest. Don’t forget that the 2nd Underwater Awards Australasia imaging competition is accepting submissions—so make sure you get your entries in soon and claim your share of the spectacular $70,000 prize pool!
Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora, Finalist: “Acacia” by Talia Greis
Art of Nature, Finalist: “Ghost of the Reef” by Simon Biddie
Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Yin Yang” by Melanie Müller
Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Dystopian Seas” by Angel Fitor
Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Theatre of War” by Talia Greis
Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Into the World of Dreams” by Hitomi Tsuchiya
Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Mudskipping” by Georgina Steytler