A world-renowned photography exhibition celebrating the beauty of the ocean is set to make its UK debut in Kent later this month.
Ocean Photographer of the Year will open at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, with 116 award-winning images that capture life beneath the sea.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition will make its UK debut at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Picture: Catherine Holmes
The competition, which earned more than 15,000 entries worldwide, showcases striking images, including microscopic marine life, dramatic encounters with sharks and whales, and the impact of climate change.
Underwater wildlife specialist Henley Spiers is one of the photographers featured in the exhibition.
“One of the things Ocean Photographer of the Year does exceptionally well is showcase both the wonder of the ocean and the threats it faces,” he says. “Photography allows people to emotionally connect with the ocean first, and once they feel that connection, they start to care.”
Henley Spiers’ photograph shows a partly decomposed green turtle killed by a boat strike. Picture: Henley Spiers
One of his most notable images shows the body of a green turtle killed by a boat strike, now sheltering juvenile fish beneath its shell.
“These images aren’t showing an alien world,” he adds. “They show a living one that’s complex, vulnerable and surprisingly relatable.”
The display also includes the work of British marine biologist Dr Richard Smith, who is a leading expert on pygmy seahorses, known as some of the smallest fish on earth, measuring just 1.5cm.
“It’s the equivalent of looking for a needle in a haystack,” he explains. “Sometimes you’re searching for an animal that’s been described scientifically but never photographed alive. The ocean is enormous, and so much of it remains unexplored.”
A Melanesian endemic blue devil damselfish stands in stark contrast to a bleached reef where Richard Smith returned after 20 years. He says it’s the worst coral bleaching he has ever witnessed. Picture: Richard Smith
His photos explore both wildlife discovery and environmental loss, including a picture of a Melanesian Blue Devil damselfish living among bleached coral in Papua New Guinea.
“We rarely consider how bleaching devastates species that depend entirely on coral habitats, but this image shows an endemic Melanesian Blue Devil damselfish living around a small coral colony that had bleached but was still alive,” Richard explains. “It’s a beautiful fish persisting amid environmental catastrophe – a story shared by countless species worldwide.”
Jenny Stock is pictured inside a shipwreck surrounded by fish. Picture: Jenny Stock
Documentary maker Jenny Stock, who, in 2024, became the first woman to win British Underwater Photographer of the Year, is also part of the Dockyard’s exhibition.
Her image, taken in Indonesia, shows millions of anchovies darting through the water to escape predators.
“Seconds after descending, I saw this glittering wall of anchovies race over me – they passed barely a foot from me, the energy was wild, frantic, exhilarating,” says Jenny. “These fish were clearly swimming for their lives.”
Photographer Aaron Sanders, aged 18 from Devon, is featured after impressing judges with his vibrant underwater image, also captured in Indonesia.
“The midnight Snappers, initially wary of my presence, kept their distance,” he recalls. “I had to remain perfectly calm and still. My presence became just another part of their environment, allowing me the opportunity to frame this intricate feast.”
Under the cover of night, two tiny bobtail squid engage in an intimate display, their arms intertwined as they mate on the seabed. Picture: Aaron Sanders
The exhibition continues the Dockyard’s work in exploring maritime history from across the world, which has included previous displays such as Diving Deep: HMS Invincible 1744 and RNLI 200: The Exhibition.
Paul Barnard, COO at the Historic Dockyard Chatham, said: “We are very excited to be hosting Ocean Photographer of the Year for the very first time in the UK here at the Historic Dockyard Chatham.
“This prestigious competition has been delighting audiences across the world with its stunning photography and we are pleased to be able to bring this to audiences in the UK, and specifically the South East.
“The exhibition provides a unique glimpse into our mysterious and magical underwater world, but also importantly highlights the challenges we face surrounding ocean health and climate change.
“We hope that our visitors not only enjoy the stunning photography but also consider the impact we all have on ocean health and the steps we can all take to make our marine environment thrive.”
Ocean Photographer of the Year opens at the Historic Dockyard Chatham on Saturday, March 28 and runs until Monday, August 31.
The exhibition is included in a standard entry ticket, which can be booked online or purchased on the gate.