An image of a surfer, held down by one of the heaviest waves in the world, has won a prestigious underwater photography award.
Ben Thouard, a Frenchman and transplant to French Polynesia, was named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 for this single picture.
Teahupo'o - meaning "place of skulls" - is one of the Pacific's most dangerous breaks. 14 years after moving to Tahiti from Toulon, it's a place that Thouard knows well.
Taken while freediving, the photographer called it the "unseen part of surfing."
Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022, Winner: Teahupo'o by Ben Thouard. Photo / OPY 2022, Supplied
"I have so much respect for both the wave and the surfers - surfing such a heavy wave is a huge challenge."
The composition and texture of tonnes of water bearing down on the lone figure won over judges to pick Thouard's image out of thousands.
Second place went to American photographer Katherine Lu, whose glowing blanket octopus looks like it landed from outer space. The image taken on a moonless night dive in the Philippines, during a volcanic eruption.
Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022, 2nd Place: blanket octopus by Katherine Lu. Photo / OPY 2022, Supplied
"I was very sick during this dive," says Lu, explaining she got the shot by chance.
"I spent a lot of time trying to equalise near the surface. When my guide frantically signalled for me to come down I hesitated for a moment, but went for it, pushing myself down."
She described the octopus appearing beside her and unveiling its cape "like magic".
The third place photo went to Brook Peterson, diving from an off-shore oil rig in California. A split second photo captured the moment a cormorant dives through a shoal of baitfish.
"There was a large school of baitfish under the platform for several weeks and, as a result, numerous other animals there to feed off the baitfish - sea lions, bonita, and cormorants." This image was the best from a month-long feeding frenzy.
Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022, 3rd Place: Cormorant by Brook Peterson. Photo / OPY 2022, Supplied
The winners were announced via a broadcast from the coast of Western Australia, by marine biologist Lizzie Daly.
"The Ocean Photographer of the Year has a simple mission: to shine a light on the beauty of the ocean and the threats it faces," said the awards body.
As well as the search for Ocean Photographer of the Year there were prizes given to category winners including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and The Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year - split into two awards for "Image of Hope" and "Image of Impact".
The latter was won by German diver Simon Lorenz whose image of a net loose Sri Lankan net, which he called a "death trap" for an Olive Ridley sea turtle.
Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year 2022, Winner (Impact): Olive Ridley turtle by Simon Lorenz. Photo / OPY 2022, Supplied
"Getting her disentangled took a machete and more than 30 minutes of hard work. When all the netting was removed we checked the turtle over and sent her on her way."
The winners will be displayed at an outdoor exhibition at Tower Bridge in London.
For more details and to enter next year's competition, see
