Stunning Marine Images Selected for Israel’s Underwater Nature Contest
Israel’s best marine nature photos have been selected, with the photographers winning prizes worth NIS 7,000, NIS 3,000 and NIS 2,000. The photography contest, documenting life in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Eilat, was initiated and launched by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel to raise awareness of the need to protect Israel’s marine nature. The contest focused on marine nature photography expressing the connection between the sea, people and nature, and the submitted images were meant to reflect life in the Israeli sea, its animals, plants and the human presence that affects it, is affected by it, or exists alongside it, emphasizing the mutual relationship between humans and the animals and plants in the sea.
In total, about 600 photos were submitted to the contest, and after filtering and checking the defined criteria, 235 photos met the threshold, from which the judges selected 40 finalists, half from the Mediterranean and half from the Gulf of Eilat. A photo by Yuval Tina, titled “An Angel in Blue,” showing a giant manta ray in the Gulf of Eilat swimming a few meters above a swimmer, was chosen as the best photo in the “Israeli Sea” contest. In second place was “Meeting an Alien,” by Gil Kopelowitz, also taken in Eilat, showing a larval slipper lobster holding a siphonophore, a relative of jellyfish with stinging cells. In third place was a photo by Eriq Singer, taken in the Mediterranean Sea, showing a pair of bull ray fish above a wrecked ship, with a diver watching them.
Three photos received honorable mentions from the judges, a photo by Amir Peierman, taken in Eilat, showing an ornate nudibranch “roaring” under a pier, the photo “Thinking Outside the Box,” by Tomer Gilson, also taken in Eilat, showing a young octopus inside an empty tin can. The photo reflects the sometimes negative impact of humans on the marine space, and the attempt of animals to adapt to the changing environment that is their home. The third photo, “The Shark Whisperer,” by Gilad Topaz, was taken in the Mediterranean Sea and shows a kayaker above sharks in Hadera. The photo reflects the close encounter between humans and a large marine predator, an encounter that can be harmonious and enriching, but if not managed properly, can also be dangerous for both sides. Other selected photos included “Everyone Reaches for the Sun,” by Gregory Bumstein, taken in Eilat, showing a sea turtle and a swimmer, and “Eye to Eye,” by Ilan Elgrabli, from the Mediterranean Sea, documenting an encounter between a diver and a shark.
The judges said, “Many high-quality photos were submitted to the contest, showing that the Israeli public loves the sea and documents its wonderful stories. We were moved to receive photos expressing Israelis’ deep connection to marine nature, showing that we, as humans, can share the sea with the animals that live in it, in a harmonious and respectful way, through communication and connection. At the same time, photos were also submitted that tell another important story, that sometimes we, humans, do not treat the marine environment with enough respect, through waste, hunting and non-selective fishing gear, uncontrolled infrastructure that remains after use as a marine hazard, and more. Beauty and conflict, both exist in our Israeli sea, and it is in our hands to determine what our sea will look like and what marine nature we leave behind for future generations. We hope the exhibition will encourage the Israeli public and policymakers to increase efforts to protect the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Eilat.”
