Grace_underwater

Thank you, , for this incredible honor.

To have this image recognized among so many powerful and inspiring entries is deeply meaningful, and I am truly grateful to be included alongside such talented photographers.

My goal has always been to use photography as a way to share the beauty, wonder, and importance of our oceans. If an image can inspire someone to pause, appreciate the natural world, and care a little more about its future, then it has done its job.

Receiving this recognition on World Ocean Day makes it especially meaningful.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to everyone working to tell the ocean’s story through art, science, exploration, and conservation. 🌊💙

Emergence.

This green turtle vanished beneath the sand—whether to shake off the remoras or find a retreat from the persistent tourists, I can only guess. I was hovering in front of it when it erupted back into view, sand cascading from its face like dusty tears after being completely buried just moments before.