This image of a Crab-eating macaque in Thailand won Suliman Alatiqi the Best in Show award in the 2023 Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest. Alatiqi spent two weeks diving near the Phi Phi Islands, and gained the trust of one particular clan of macaques before he could get up close and personal with them. The photograph won first place in the Portrait category as well.
The contest announced first through fourth place winners and honorable mentions in 14 categories. New rules this year restricted the use of AI in post processing for the 12 primary categories to ensure that the photos are 100% real, but also introduced two new categories without such rules, Underwater Digital Art and Underwater Fashion, where such editing can run free. All the photos are amazing, but I was particularly drawn to this one.
Gabriel Jensen placed fourth in the Portrait category with this image of two fishes. The doctorfish seems to be posing for the picture, as if he's getting his smile right for a selfie, but he's also being eaten by a lizardfish! Jensen likened the image to the "this is fine" meme. Nature is brutal.
See all the winners at the contest website, with links to the story behind each. -via Everlasting Blort