Ocean Views 2012 Contest Winners

“In 2010, I became the first photographic artist to ever photograph lava from inside the surf. I waited five years for the conditions to be perfect for this type of shot. First, the lava had to cross the beach where most of the coast is a rugged cliff. There also needed to be substantial surf. Finally, the volume of lava-flow into the ocean needed to be just right; with too much volume, the water would be boiling far out to sea, and with too little there would not be enough to be visible in the photo. By the time I took this image several days later, lava covered the entire beach.” - Nature's Best Photographer, CJ Kale

"This particular shark was just as curious as I was, which enabled me to capture such an amazing shot. His eye came just above the surface and stared back at me as if to show me he was watching, while below the surface his mouth opened to reveal his sharp teeth.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Deano Cook

“This photograph I call ‘Emerald Spirit’ was taken on the most intimidating and most surf-heavy spot on the western coast of Ireland. Local surfer Fergal Smith was paddling and scoring a few deep tube rides inside the waves. Each time he started to paddle into the wave, I dove down underneath the water, held my breath, and waited for the moment when he would swish through a silver barrel close enough to my lens. Water visibility is always very limited in Ireland, and I was very lucky to get a shot like this.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, George Karbus

“I arrived at this beach about a half an hour before sunset. I shot a good number of beach and sunset pictures on this trip and on previous trips, so I was looking for something different. I noticed the beach was funneling waves to a narrow part of the shore in one particular area, so I spent a lot of time in this spot. I was using a tripod and was about a foot above the sand. I took many images pulling my tripod into the air just as the wave hit, and I was able to catch this one perfectly round wave.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Dennis Frates

“Golden sweepers form schools in reef crevices and caves and among coral heads. The technique I employed to make this image was a long exposure and rear curtain synchronization combined with a circular rotation of the camera during the shot. Buyat Bay, a threatened area, is home to one of the highest numbers of coral and fish species in the world.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Jeff Yonover

“Every March, up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In 2011, storms and lack of ice-cover due to a warmer winter climate resulted in hundreds of seal pups being washed up on the shore of Prince Edward Island. Like many, this young seal faced an uncertain future. Nearly three weeks old, it was weaned but not yet ready to swim on its own, leaving it vulnerable to predation or drowning. For me, this image expresses the vulnerability of not only this individual, but the entire harp seal population.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, John Sylvester

“On an afternoon dive, I spotted a small group of sweetlips in the current among a shoal of juvenile convict blennies. It took me some time to get close to the fish without spooking them. I took several frames but this one was my favorite because of the position of the fish, particularly the one on the right who seems to be yawning.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Jose Alejandro Alvarez

“This image was captured during an evening dive in water where the largest migration on Earth occurs nightly. This miniscule squid was less than an inch long, transparent, and highly reflective, which made proper exposure extremely difficult. Over hundreds of dives, I have become familiar with this species, its inherent shyness, and the varying range of exposure requirements. Albeit challenging, photographing unusual subjects in new frontiers keeps me shooting.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Joshua Lambus

“The southern elephant seal is a truly restrained behemoth. Males can grow to be five times larger than females, up to 5,000 pounds. This elephant seal may look fierce, but he was simply yawning over and over in the wave-wash. This allowed me to try multiple ways of getting this impressive pose, including lying down in the water without disturbing him.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Justin Hofman

“Lembeh Strait is a fantastic place to find species that have evolved to resemble other animals or plants to survive. Because of the lens I was using, I had to get really close to this crab. As I moved in, it retreated into the xenia coral polyps. When I backed up, it came back out. The skittish crab, in addition to having the wrong lens for the task, made this a challenging shot.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Marli Wakeling

“This composition is a blend of nature and architecture. Shooting beneath the structure to get a unique perspective, I waited for days for a thick mist to lift and reveal the backlighting and color I needed to frame the pier’s converging lines. I was finally rewarded when I returned to this magical place on the seventh night. The clouds moved in quickly and a brief burst of color filled the sky. I finally got the image that had been eluding me.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Peter Lik

“The male weedy seadragon is entrusted with the pink, fertilized eggs once mating has been completed. It is his task to incubate them until their hatching, approximately eight weeks later. The day this photo was taken, the weather and conditions were unusually perfect: blue skies, little to no wind, and clear water. I took this photo while on my back under the local sea plants, looking up as it swam by.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Richard Wylie

“This primeval scene of an early morning squabble between this pair of penguins was amazing to witness. Under a moody sky, there seemed to be electricity in the air as they relentlessly fought back and forth for position and perhaps other reasons unknown to me. Lying on the snow waiting for them to approach, I was surprised to find them fighting nearly on top of me!” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Rod Strachan

“This photo was taken the first evening of six that I spent at South Georgia Island. It captures a group of penguins on their way to the ocean to feed. As they approached, I knelt down, set the camera low to the ground, and waited for them to reach the spot I envisioned. King penguins are usually depicted as fairly placid, elegant creatures. This image presents a dynamic gang, seemingly with a leader, moving with a purpose. One can even see the articulation of their muscles. The cloudy mountains in the background enhance the sense of drama.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Steve Gould

“Tomales Bay is a narrow, protected waterway along the San Andreas fault. In years past, it was known for its thriving fishing industry. This boat is a relic from better times for local fishermen, and few of its kind can still be found today. The ridgelines along the bay blocked the sun, creating diffused light on the boat while adding color to the clouds and distant hills.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Tim Aiken

“It’s quite normal for this type of goby to sit still on hard coral like this. I spotted the first of these very small fish and set up my camera for the shot. Just as I was about to take a picture, a second goby came out of nowhere and sat on the first one. I quickly corrected the frame and took two or three shots before both of them disappeared. It was an incredible moment.”-- Nature's Best Photographer, Tobias Friedrich

“It was shaping up to be a bad night dive when my mask broke and I was forced to come up early. The others continued diving and I was becoming a bit bored at the surface when I suddenly spotted some grey reef sharks hunting in the light of our ship. I took the opportunity and grabbed my camera to take some night shots as they came very close to check out me and our lights.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Tobias Friedrich

“Once in a while, manta rays appear in great numbers in a small bay in the Baa Atoll. The concentration of plankton must be very high in this particular bay, because up to 200 manta rays have been seen here at one time. It can be difficult to capture a nice composition because there are so many divers and snorkelers, causing fewer mantas to come to the bay in recent years.” -- Nature's Best Photographer, Tobias Friedrich