Behind the Shots: Ocean Art Photo Competition 2024

One of the most distinguished competitions in underwater photography - Ocean Art - has announced winners for 2024! Ikelite users from all over the globe won big this year taking home a variety of prizes in a variety of categories. We got a chance to chat with a few of the winners to get a behind the scenes look at their winning shots.

Stefano Cerbai

1st Place | Portrait

"Exceptional Shipping" © Stefano Cerbai // Shot with Ikelite Strobes

"This picture was taken on my honeymoon in Australia. In fact during the trip to southern Australia, I had the opportunity to dive near Adelaide, because I had previously informed where to find and admire the Sea Dragon. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was actually very lucky, and even though the marine weather was not good, I managed to find it, and photograph while it was carrying the eggs at the end of its tail."

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Instagram @ste_cerba

Lorenzo Terraneo

3rd Place | Underwater Digital Art

"Alien - People Swimming in a Cave" © Lorenzo Terraneo // Shot with Nikon D500 inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing

"For me, underwater photography is a constant quest for unique perspectives, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary stories. By experimenting with light, angles, and unexpected elements, I strive to find my own vision in every shot. In this journey, Ikelite’s equipment has always been a reliable companion, helping me bring my unconventional ideas to life."

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www.lorenzoterraneo.com
Instagram @lorenzoterraneo

Bo Pardau

Honorable Mention | Blackwater

"Alien" © Bo Pardau // Shot with Canon 7D Mark II inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing + 2x Ikelite DS160 Strobes

"This little guy did well for me last year as it won the Grand Prize in the National Wildlife annual photo contest which was a real feather in my cap. I caught this Amphipod Cystisoma on a blackwater dive 3 miles offshore in about 3000 feet of water off the coast of Hawaii, which is the home of blackwater diving. I shoot a Canon 7D mkll with a 60mm macro lens in an Ikelite housing with Ikelite DS160 strobes. My first DSLR was a Rebel in a used Ikelite housing in 2010 and I have stuck with Ikelite for every camera upgrade because the TTL works beautifully, the strobes are the best, and the service department is excellent and accommodating. I am not a professional photographer but it is a full time passion for me."

Follow Bo

www.flickr.com/photos/bodiver
Instagram @bopardau

Xaime Beiro

Honorable Mention | Black & White

"Below the Octopus" by Xaime Beiro // Shot with Sony a6300 inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing

"We are thrilled to have made it to the final selection of Ocean Art 2024, especially with a photo that means so much to me. It was taken in my hometown, in the piece of ocean where I grew up. I’m from Galicia (NW Spain), where the waters are cold and green, and the octopus is one of the main protagonists of our marine environment. It has always been very abundant but is now entering a concerning situation due to overfishing.

"The photo was taken while freediving, like most of my work, in an area where there are usually many octopus pots. In one of these, I saw an octopus still outside, just about to go in. My idea was to get closer and take a close-up of the octopus on top of the pot. But I got “lucky” when the octopus decided to escape right over me, allowing me to capture a good burst of shots that show all its movement from this slightly different perspective.

"Most of my work is focused on showing people the richness of the waters I grew up in. Unlike other parts of the world, there are still many people here who don’t know what they have right in front of their homes. I’ve traveled to tropical seas, but portraying the usual suspects of my homeland is what motivates me the most.

"I’ve been working with Ikelite equipment ever since I started underwater photography 9 years ago. In 2016, I decided to invest in a good setup and chose the Sony a6300 with an Ikelite housing. Without a doubt, it was the best purchase I’ve ever made."

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Jeongin Kim

3rd Place | Cold Water

"Baobab Tree" © Jeongin Kim // Shot with Ikelite DS230 Strobes

"The East Sea of Korea is very cold and dark. When I took this picture, the water depth was 35 meters (114.8 feet) and the water temperature was 5º. Every time I see metridium senile in full bloom, I think of it as a baobab tree in the ocean. So, I took a low angle shot of a fully bloomed metridium senile and expressed it as a baobab tree.

"I have used various strobes. The Ikelite DS230 strobe provides a constant amount of light in continuous shooting. This is a big advantage for macro shooting. The color temperature of the strobe is warm when shooting wide-angle shots, so it is easy to express the color of the water as blue. The light is also very powerful, so it is a great advantage for wide-angle shooting. Above all, the recycling time is short, so when I command the strobe, it fires immediately."

Follow Jeongin

Instagram @jamsootoday

Anna Aita

2nd Place | Underwater Fashion

"The Lily Pad Garden" © Anna Aita // Shot with Sony a7 IV inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing

"A Naiad, an enchanting water nymph, sleeping in an underwater lily pad garden. This image was captured underwater in a cenote (sinkhole) in Mexico full of lily pads. It was shot with natural light with my Sony a7 IV inside my trustworthy Ikelite housing.

"I was born and raised in Milan, Italy and I moved to the USA, in Florida, in 2021, fascinated by the beautiful nature and the sunny days. I have been a circus instructor for over 12 years and circus arts performers and students inspired me to learn photography to tell the stories of regular people that can transform into superheroes.

"When I moved to Florida I found myself mesmerized by the beauty of the nature and I started to do more photoshoots outside the studio. I got my free diving certification and I started to explore the stunning Florida Springs. Obviously underwater photography became my new addiction. My underwater world is ethereal, dreamy and poetic.

"Before starting my journey into underwater photography I was afraid of bringing my expensive gear underwater and I was intimidated by the idea of how complicated it could be to assemble the housing and use it underwater. What I appreciated the most about Ikelite is that it has a lot of free online video tutorials that guides you step by step on how to assemble and use their products and also a lot of very useful tips for photographers of every experience level.

"Using an Ikelite housing gives me peace of mind knowing my gear is safe and protected. Their housings are also very user friendly and finding buttons and settings underwater it’s way easier than what I thought."

Follow Anna

www.annaaitaphotography.com
Instagram @annaaitaphoto

McKenzie Spalding

Honorable Mention | Wide Angle

"Swimming Through a Starred Sea" © McKenzie Spalding // Shot with Canon R6 inside an Ikelite Underwater Housing

"Working on a tour boat in the Ningaloo, I am lucky enough to swim with Whale Sharks for a living. This photo was taken on one of those days that you dream about; no wind, low swell, and whale sharks everywhere. The overcast sky made the water a dark electric blue, the visibility so good that you lost all sense of space. The crew, customers and I slid into the water and started swimming alongside the shark on the right when I saw another start to appear from our left. It was on a direct collision course with our shark, and instead of bumping into each other they turned directly towards us at the last minute. I snapped these shots before making a quick escape and staying out of their way. I lost track of the amount of whale sharks we swam with that day, having a few double and even triple encounters. Their white spots glowed against the dark blue water, reminiscent of stars in a night sky. It’s a day I’ll never forget."

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Instagram @mckenziemayphoto

Ariel Gliboff

4th Place | Portrait

"Many people don't realize how colorful Seattle diving is. I'm thrilled my rainbow gunnel portrait can help represent the colorful, and cold, underwater world of the Pacific Northwest. This is the first major recognition of my underwater photography since I began nearly 3 years ago. I'm humbled and grateful for my progress and hope to continue sharing the incredible underwater world."

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