Jialing Cai/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Jialing Cai was the overall winner for this photograph taken in the Philippines of a paper nautilus drifting on a piece of ocean debris at night, surrounded by heavy sediment.
Franco Banfi/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Franco Banfi took third place in the adventure category for this shot of a scuba diver exploring the underside of a gigantic iceberg in east Greenland.
Jules Casey/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Two pale octopuses sit on a pipe that forms part of an artificial reef built to attract octopuses and other marine life to the area. Jules Casey won second place in the conservation (hope) category for the image from Australia.
Florian Ledoux/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A polar bear cub contends with the fragility of melting ice in Svalbard, Norway. Florian Ledoux's picture won first place in the conservation (impact) category.
Merche Llobera/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A striped marlin hunts a bait ball in Mexico by Merche Llobera, winner of the Female Fifty Fathoms Award.


Celia Kujala/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A curious group of Steller sea lions in Canada circle the photographer, Celia Kujala.
Jingyi Wang/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Artisanal fishing fences stand in the sea in China. Jingyi Wang's picture won the human connection category.
Renee Capozzola/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A school of red snapper sweeps over a healthy hard coral reef during a vibrant sunset in Rangiroa, French Polynesia. Renee Capozzola, Ocean Portfolio Award.
Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A young grey reef shark is hooked by an angler at night at Burma Bank, an offshore plateau in the Andaman Sea. Sirachai Arunrugstichai, Ocean Portfolio Award.
Kat Zhou/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Kat Zhou's northern gannets dive beneath the waterline in Shetland, Scotland.
Jack Pokoj/Ocean Photographer of the Year
Jack Pokoj won the wildlife category with this picture, taken in the Philippines, as a lizardfish opens its mouth to reveal its last meal.
Jarvis Smallman/Ocean Photographer of the Year
A bodyboarder paddles out to sea, while big storm clouds block the sun and create an electric blue color effect on the wave. This image taken in Western Australia landed Jarvis Smallman with the young ocean photographer of the year award.

Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action.

CNN  — 

It is an otherworldly scene. A paper nautilus floats on a piece of ocean debris after a volcanic eruption in the Philippines, its orange eye bright against the black water, its parchment-like shell curled in a perfect spiral, with specks of light falling like raindrops on the image.

And for this photo of a paper nautilus, a type of octopus, Jialing Cai has been named the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023, beating thousands of photos submitted to the competition which aims to display the beauty of the oceans and the threats they face.

The marine biologist and amateur photographer captured the photo on a blackwater dive – a night dive in the open ocean, which uses floodlights to attract the ocean nightlife.

Images of 'wonder and woe' in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

Thousands of entrants submitted underwater and coastal images, as well as pictures captured by drone, to the competition, organizers said.

Some of the awe-inspiring entries to the contest feature a polar bear cub contending with the fragility of melting ice, a scuba diver exploring the underside of a gigantic iceberg and diving gannets.

Will Harrison, editorial director of Oceanographic Magazine and the Ocean Photographer of the Year, said in an email sent to CNN Thursday: “The range and quality of submissions entered into this year’s competition is special. From world-class drone images of megafauna to breath-taking underwater images of deep-dwelling ocean wildlife, the full spectrum of ocean life is brought to life like never before.

“This is an extraordinary collection of photography from an extraordinarily talented group of ocean photographers: divers, surfers and sailors uniting to dazzle the world.”

Breathtaking images from Underwater Photographer of the Year competition

The images from this year’s competition, produced by Oceanographic Magazine, in partnership with Blancpain, Arksen and Tourism Western Australia, will be on display for five months at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney from November 17.

A selection of the winning and highly commended images can be seen in the gallery above.