A crested sculpin in Alaska.Shane Gross/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024The Ocean Photographer of the Year awards announced the winners of its 2024 contest.Winners were chosen in categories such as Wildlife, Human Connection, and Ocean Conservation.The overall winning image showed a whale about to devour a large ball of fish.The Ocean Photographer of the Year awards announced the winners of its 2024 contest on Thursday.Presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain Ocean Commitment, the contest highlights the work of underwater photographers to help raise awareness for ocean conservation work and scientific research protecting these delicate ecosystems.Winning photos were chosen out of 15,000 submissions across eight categories: Young Photographer, Wildlife, Portfolio, Human Connection, Fine Art, Conservation — Impact, Conservation — Hope, and Adventure.