What's your photograph of the day 1097?

A spotted eagle ray’s natural pattern

A marine iguana sits on a rock. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

SHANE GROSS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Why in my 60s do I have a strong desire to suck cock and swallow?

Philippines

JAKE WILTON - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Baby plainfin midshipman fish

What is the most overrated pleasure? Why?

With their dramatic marine wildlife encounters, gorgeous examples of our species’ connection with the ocean and stark reminders of the human impact on our seas, underwater photographers bring the best of our ocean planet to life and highlight the many perils it faces.

Baby Plainfin Midshipman fish, still attached to their yolk sacs, are hidden under a rock in an intertidal zone in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

RAFAEL FERNANDEZ CABALLERO - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

How do I know if I am a bitch? I try to be a nice person but people often jokingly call me a bitch. My family calls me a bitch sometimes too.

Above, pelicans in the sea off Mexico’s Baja California Sur dive from the sky in a well-coordinated dance. Underwater, mahi-mahi dart around at top speed, chasing sardines. “The surface was murky from the feast, with sea lions also joining the action,” says Merche Llobera. “Whales passed by, but none went for the sardines.”

‘“As we gaze at this marine iguana, with half of its body submerged in the waters and the other half emerging above the surface, it's impossible not to marvel at the uniqueness of these creatures,” says Fernandez Caballero. “Without a doubt, marine iguanas are living dinosaurs, a testament to the countless stages and transformations life on our planet has undergone.”

Portfolio Award, British Columbia, Canada

Exclusive | Nile Rodgers recalls becoming ‘really close’ with the late Sly Stone: ‘He was living in a car’ - New York Post

“The (African pompano) juveniles look very different from adults,” says Pietro Formis. “They are very thin, with a silver body and very long appendages on their fins. Usually, the filaments stretch out behind them, making it almost impossible to capture the whole fish. The long fins created circles around the silver fish, looking like neon lights at night.”’

SHANE GROSS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

PIETRO FORMIS - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Is it okay or problematic to be both Black and gay in society in the 21st century?

A 7 Image Gallery of Marine Photos Shortlisted For The Ocean Photographer Of The Year Contest. Just Awesome! Do Enjoy 🤍

With many thanks to:

MERCHE LLOBERA - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

Why is pure dopamine not a recreational drug? And if it was wouldn’t it be the most addictive and fairly side effect free?

Papua New Guinea's Conflict Islands

Conservation efforts have transformed former poachers into protectors. Amid this success swims the rare leucistic green sea turtle.

A spotted eagle ray’s natural pattern is on as-if-by-designer display. “On one of my dives, this beautiful eagle ray caught my eye,” says Palomeque Gonzalez. “It swam calmly across the sandy bottom as it exposed its intricate back to us all. I was amazed that nature inspires the most revolutionary creations. Its skin pattern reminds me of a binary code.”

What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in life, and how has it impacted your journey so far?

A crested sculpin hides in the stinging tentacles of a lion’s mane jellyfish. “The tentacles provide both shelter and food for the cryptic fish in Alaska’s Prince William Sound,” explains Shane Gross.

A crested sculpin hiding

MIZAEL PALOMEQUE GONZALEZ, MEXICO - OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024

I have a black elbow sleeve leotard that I wear with sheer pantyhose. Should I keep my pants off and show my legs?

The hunt, Baja California Sur, Mexico