slideshow

Ocean Views from Nature's Best Photos

The winners of the 2010 Nature's Best Photography Ocean Views Contest are a stunning sample of marine wildlife and ocean vistas from around the globe. The 2011 contest is open to photographers of all levels through January 5, 2011, and winners will be published in the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Nature's Best Photography and Alert Diver magazines. The winners of the annual Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards will be exhibited at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Spring 2011.

Tags: Photography National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian exhibits
“This shark was cruising low along the reef known as Alcyone. Her left eye was glancing up toward other hammerheads when I took this shot from below.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Studley.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D300; Tokin
a spotted dolphin swims through the ocean at night
Humpback Whale, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Gloucester, MA, USA
“Upon returning from the reef after a night dive, I swam toward a bright reflection and came eye-to-eye with this beautiful, curious squid.” -- Nature's Best photographer Charles Viggers.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D700; 105mm ƒ/2.8 lens
Two polar bears at Cape Churchill in Manitoba, Canada
Sunset at Ecola State Park, Near Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA
Giant Pacific Manta Ray, Roca Partida Sea Mount, Revillagigedos Islands, Mexico
“I visited the beach at sunrise after high tide and found this skimmer feeding, providing me with this reflected shot.” -- Nature's Best photographer, James A. Galletto. Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; 500mm lens; 1/1600 sec
“Leatherback turtles are critically endangered, and this young hatchling is a symbol of hope for their future.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Jason Bradley.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D2X; 12-24mm lens; 1/100 sec at ƒ/5.6.
A veined octopus sits inside a vacant bivalve shell, which it uses as a portable shelter, in the Philippines. This is one of the few examples—if not the only example—of tool use in invertebrates.
A surfer waits for the perfect wave.
“I slowly approached this bird resting on the back of a turtle just under the surface of the water. I got the shot just before the tern flew away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Nuno Sá.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS 20D; 70-200mm lens
Green Sea Turtle, Armeñime, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
“In the upper left of this image I can visualize the profile of Pele, the fire goddess of Hawaiian folklore, as if she is whispering to the sea.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Peter Lik.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; 5
Two Adélie penguins on Paulet Island, Antarctica
“Moments after its eyes emerged from the water for a ‘spy hop,’ this whale slowly descended in my direction and came as close as six feet before it dove away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Steffen Binke.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Niko
“The largest land migration of any animal on Earth, as many as 120 million crabs carpet the island in red as they move from the rain forest to the coast.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Stephen Belcher.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1D
Great Barracuda, Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea
“This shark was cruising low along the reef known as Alcyone. Her left eye was glancing up toward other hammerheads when I took this shot from below.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Studley.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D300; Tokin

Hammerhead Shark, Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Credit: Alan Studley/Nature’s Best Photography

“This shark was cruising low along the reef known as Alcyone. Her left eye was glancing up toward other hammerheads when I took this shot from below.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Studley.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

a spotted dolphin swims through the ocean at night

Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, Little Bahama Bank, The Bahamas

Credit: Andrew Sallmon/Nature’s Best Photography

“At night, spotted dolphins move offshore into the Gulf Stream’s deep waters in search of squid.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Andrew Sallmon.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Humpback Whale, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Gloucester, MA, USA

Humpback Whale, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA

Credit: Bryce Flynn/Nature’s Best Photography

“This humpback uses its lower jaw to strain fish off the water’s surface as sea birds snatch their own meals right out of the whale’s open mouth.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Bryce Flynn.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“Upon returning from the reef after a night dive, I swam toward a bright reflection and came eye-to-eye with this beautiful, curious squid.” -- Nature's Best photographer Charles Viggers.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D700; 105mm ƒ/2.8 lens

Squid at Sunset Reef Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Credit: Charles Viggers/Nature’s Best Photography

“Upon returning from the reef after a night dive, I swam toward a bright reflection and came eye-to-eye with this beautiful, curious squid," said Charles Viggers, a Nature's Best photographer. Squids have organs in their skin called chromatophores that reflect light and can change color to help them blend into their surroundings, attract mates—or attract photographers.

They may not be as picturesque as Viggers's image, but we have other photos and videos of cephalopods on the Ocean Portal. You can catch a glimpse of a giant squid eye, watch a dumbo octopod swim, and hear Smithsonian zoologist Dr. Clyde Roper discuss the over-sized anatomy of the giant squid. 

Two polar bears at Cape Churchill in Manitoba, Canada

Polar Bears, Cape Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Credit: Alan Zipp/Nature’s Best Photography

“In late November, land-locked polar bears gather along the Hudson Bay to await the formation of Arctic ice so they can return to their seal-hunting grounds for the winter.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Alan Zipp.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Sunset at Ecola State Park, Near Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA

Sunset at Ecola State Park, Near Cannon Beach, Ore., USA

Credit: David E. Becker/Nature’s Best Photography

The receding tide left a multitude of starfish in tide pools clinging to exposed rocks along the shore. The rich hues matched the colors of the setting sun against the textures of the rocky beach.” -- Nature's Best photographer, David E. Becker.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Giant Pacific Manta Ray, Roca Partida Sea Mount, Revillagigedos Islands, Mexico

Giant Pacific Manta Ray, Revillagigedos Islands, Mexico

Credit: Deborah Smrekar/Nature’s Best Photography

“Manta rays sometimes approach divers; an up-close encounter with such a huge, peaceful animal is unforgettable!” -- Nature's Best photographer, Deborah Smrekar.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“I visited the beach at sunrise after high tide and found this skimmer feeding, providing me with this reflected shot.” -- Nature's Best photographer, James A. Galletto. Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; 500mm lens; 1/1600 sec

Black Skimmer, Nickerson Beach, Long Island, N.Y., USA

Credit: James A. Galletto/Nature’s Best Photography

“I visited the beach at sunrise after high tide and found this skimmer feeding, providing me with this reflected shot.” -- Nature's Best photographer, James A. Galletto.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“Leatherback turtles are critically endangered, and this young hatchling is a symbol of hope for their future.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Jason Bradley.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Nikon D2X; 12-24mm lens; 1/100 sec at ƒ/5.6.

Leatherback Sea Turtle, Playa Grande, Costa Rica

Credit: Jason Bradley/Nature’s Best Photography

“Leatherback turtles are critically endangered, and this young hatchling is a symbol of hope for their future.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Jason Bradley.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

A veined octopus sits inside a vacant bivalve shell, which it uses as a portable shelter, in the Philippines. This is one of the few examples—if not the only example—of tool use in invertebrates.

Veined Octopus at Anilao Batangas Pier, Philippines

Credit: Jeffrey de Guzman/Nature’s Best Photography

The veined octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus), also known as the coconut octopus, has a skill beyond other cephalopods: it hides under animal and coconut shells, dragging them along the seafloor for protection. This is one of the few examples—if not the only example—of tool use in invertebrates. Here, the octopus sits inside a vacant bivalve shell. “This octopus displays tool-using behavior as it utilizes an empty shell for shelter and as a means of defense and protection," said Nature's Best photographer Jeffrey de Guzman. See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

A surfer waits for the perfect wave.

Surfer at Bogue Banks, North Carolina, USA

Credit: Karen Doody/Nature’s Best Photography

“As I set up for a sunset shot—one last, solitary surfer exited the water and I quickly fired a few frames trying to capture the serenity of the moment.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Karen Doody.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“I slowly approached this bird resting on the back of a turtle just under the surface of the water. I got the shot just before the tern flew away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Nuno Sá.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS 20D; 70-200mm lens

Tern and Loggerhead Sea Turtle, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal

Credit: Nuno Sá/Nature’s Best Photography

“I slowly approached this bird resting on the back of a turtle just under the surface of the water. I got the shot just before the tern flew away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Nuno Sá.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Green Sea Turtle, Armeñime, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Green Sea Turtle in the Canary Islands, Spain

Credit: Pedro Carrillo/Nature’s Best Photography

I have been to this location many times, but no other photo has come out like this one composed with the sun behind a turtle’s head.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Pedro Carrillo.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“In the upper left of this image I can visualize the profile of Pele, the fire goddess of Hawaiian folklore, as if she is whispering to the sea.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Peter Lik.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III; 5

Kilauea Volcano, Kalapana, Hawaii, USA

Credit: Peter Lik/Nature’s Best Photography

Kilauea Volcano, Kalapana, Hawaii, USA “In the upper left of this image I can visualize the profile of Pele, the fire goddess of Hawaiian folklore, as if she is whispering to the sea.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Peter Lik.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Two Adélie penguins on Paulet Island, Antarctica

Adélie Penguins, Paulet Island, Antarctica

Credit: Phillip Colla/Nature’s Best Photography

“As we motored around Paulet Island in a Zodiac boat, these two curious penguins waddled across an iceberg to get a closer look at us.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Phillip Colla.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest. 

These Adélie penguins live in Antarctica and rely on tiny crustaceans, called krill, as their main food source. It is unknown how their populations will react to changes in the amount of sea ice and krill due to warming temperatures or overfishing. 

“Moments after its eyes emerged from the water for a ‘spy hop,’ this whale slowly descended in my direction and came as close as six feet before it dove away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Steffen Binke.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Niko

Dwarf Minke Whale, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Credit: Steffen Binke/Nature’s Best Photography

“Moments after its eyes emerged from the water for a ‘spy hop,’ this whale slowly descended in my direction and came as close as six feet before it dove away.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Steffen Binke.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

“The largest land migration of any animal on Earth, as many as 120 million crabs carpet the island in red as they move from the rain forest to the coast.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Stephen Belcher.Equipment Used to Capture the Shot: Canon EOS-1D

Red Crab Migration, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

Credit: Stephen Belcher/Nature’s Best Photography

“The largest land migration of any animal on Earth, as many as 120 million crabs carpet the island in red as they move from the rain forest to the coast.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Stephen Belcher.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.

Great Barracuda, Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea

Great Barracuda, Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea

Credit: Yeang H. Ch’ng/Nature’s Best Photography

“A four-foot-long barracuda is visible flashing past me, with the sky and the lights of my boat seen above.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Yeang H. Ch’ng.

See more beautiful ocean photos in our slideshow of winners from the 2010 Nature's Best Ocean Views photo contest.