The Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition, hosted by The Australian National Maritime Museum has returned, bringing with it extraordinary ocean photography featuring some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet.
Opening on 6 November, this exhibition focuses on 112 incredible images that celebrate the ocean, highlighting the beauty of marine life and calling attention to its ecological crises.
The competition has 10 categories, with the overall winner selected from submissions across categories. For the first time in the competition’s history, two Australian photographers have been selected from over 15,000 images and named category winners.
Melbourne photographer Marcia Riederer won the Fine Art category with a striking underwater photo of a Dwarf Minke whale taken at the Ribbon Reefs. Craig Parry, based in Lennox Head, NSW, won the Human Connection category with a drone image capturing the rescue of a stranded Humpback whale on Seven Mile Beach.
Both photographers sat down to speak about their relationship with the ocean and the role ocean photography plays in changing the public’s perception of the ocean.
What role do you feel like ocean photography plays in the general public’s perception of the ocean and marine ecosystems?
Craig Perry: Well, it’s huge because I think a lot of people don’t get to visit the ocean. I think it’s a voice for the ocean, it helps communicate. Not only the good things, but also the bad things that are happening to our ocean. So I feel it’s definitely a bridge for people and the community to sort of understand what’s going on.
Marcia Riederer: I think everyone who takes photos hopes to educate or inspire. Not everyone has the opportunity to go underwater or to go out to those places. So the photography brings that to the wider public, and I hope people can feel that same connection.
For example, when you look at the whale eye, it’s almost like you feel there, and then we can see they are living things like us. They feel pain, they feel all the same feelings we do, and they deserve all the respect that we wish for ourselves.
What inspired you to pursue ocean photography?
Marcia Riederer: I feel like I’ve been connected to the ocean since I was a little kid. I grew up in a place where we used to go a lot on the beach and I always was a big part of my life. So I feel deeply connected with the ocean, especially with the wildlife.
This was the second time I entered that competition and the first time I got a good result. So it’s very special. It’s very emotional. It definitely is one of the biggest competitions I’ve ever participated in. So, yeah it’s pretty special.
What would you say to young photographers who want to go into ocean photography?
Craig Perry: Don’t focus too much on the equipment. Focus on the experience, understanding the animal’s behaviour is very important. I think, just being out there, you’re already winning. You don’t need the best camera gear, honestly, like some of the best photos l’ve ever taken with my 12 megapixel camera back in 2013. So don’t stress too much on the gear.
Marcia Riederer: Do whatever makes you passionate about it. Not just photographers, but any person. I think when we do something we really love, I think that comes through the photo. So I think, follow your dream. For example, for that photo, maybe I wasn’t the most skilled photographer there, but I was the first one in the water and the last one out. So if you stay long enough, the moment will come. Persistence and passion, I think they are the two main things. I would suggest.
How do you balance your work with your need to educate people about the ocean?
Craig Perry: I’ve created an online photography course. I take people around the world with me and teach them photography. And it’s funny because a lot of people that do come away with me, not there just for the photography, but there for the connection and the bucket list experience of actually swimming with a humpback whale or going to Antarctica and photographing penguins and seeing leopard seals.
So I think my career has sort of over the years grown and changed into not just being a professional photographer, but also an educator; for our environment and photography in general.
How do you feel like your relationship with the ocean has evolved over time?
Craig Perry: It’s a strange one, because my love for the ocean gets stronger and stronger with each experience I have underwater. But now l’ve got children, I’m so excited to show them what I’ve seen.
So that’s sort of shifted to not being about me as much anymore, but being about sharing my experiences with my children, so I can pass on my love for the ocean to them. And I think this is the secret, exposing children to the ocean is a very important thing because they’re essentially the future of the ocean. If we don’t give them those experiences, they won’t feel connected, I think that’s the missing piece that we have.
What do you think are the biggest issues the ocean is facing?
Marcia Riederer: Pollution, climate change, fishing nets, as we said, in some parts of Australia, we still have the shark nets, which can get lots of animals tangled as well. So I think we have a big list of things we can act on.
I think every individual has a little bit of responsibility. Of course, governments and corporations have a bigger impact, but I think everyone can do a little bit to change for the better, move towards positive change.
The exhibition goes until 3 May 2026, with tickets on sale here. If you enjoyed this story, check out our story on 7 of Sydney’s icons.