Spectacular Images Of The 2023 Mangrove Photography Awards (30 Pics)

In addition to the Mangrove Photographer of the Year, winners have been selected in 6 categories – People, Landscape, Underwater, Threats, Wildlife, and Stories (a portfolio category) – while photographers under the age of 24 competed to become the Young Mangrove Photographer of the Year.

"The photos are a compelling reminder of the importance of mangroves for the diversity of life across our coastlines as photographers captured unique relationships and moments from mangrove ecosystems both above and below the water line. They’re also a stark reminder of our need to protect these unique and precious ecosystems. 

Today, less than half the world’s original mangrove forest cover remains, and it has never been more important to promote the conservation of these fragile ecosystems. The Mangrove Photography Awards is a vital platform for creatives to captivate our imagination and spark action."

Feel free to check out our previous post to view the list of the winning photographs from 2022.

Bored Panda reached out to Leo Thom, the Creative Director of the Mangrove Action Project, organizing the annual photo awards. We asked him some questions about the contest, and he was kind enough to share with us some valuable insights.

This year, the Mangrove Photography Awards received over 2,000 entries. We were wondering what Thom believes is the driving force behind such a strong interest in mangrove conservation through photography. Leo told us: “Our photography contest has been growing every year and I think there's a great appetite right now to photograph and tell intriguing stories about the environment in general so that it can inspire people to take positive action. Mangroves are fascinating and unique ecosystems that are still seen as the underdogs of forest habitats so we are so thrilled that so many photographers all over the globe have been getting dirty in the mud, taking photos and sharing their beautiful images on our platform.”

Asked if there were any particularly surprising or unexpected aspects of this year's submissions that caught his attention, Leo answered: “Mangroves still surprise me every day even though I've worked with them for a while now. Some people may not know about the Sundarbans, which is the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to the only tigers that have adapted to live in these dynamic swamps. I've enjoyed seeing new wildlife behavior this year from the mating nurse sharks and the potoo bird blending in perfectly into its surroundings to the poignant image of the hermit crab living in a microplastic world.”

Next, we were curious about what advice or tips Thom could provide to enhance the chances of success for individuals interested in participating in future Mangrove Photography Awards. The Creative Director shared with us: “I think my top tip would be to be curious. The ultimate goal is to intrigue people about the ecosystem and by spending more time in the mangroves yourself, you will start to see and find out new things you didn't know before. I think through observation you will start to see what is interesting; whether it's a special relationship local people have with their forests or a particular animal that is visiting the mangroves. Winning photos don't need to be technically amazing; it's more important that the image is telling a story for the viewer.“

Lastly, knowing that mangroves are currently facing numerous threats, we wanted Leo to tell us more about some of the most pressing issues that these ecosystems are dealing with and how the awards contribute to addressing these challenges. Thom said: “Yes, mangroves are facing all sorts of threats around the world and it's never been so important to conserve and protect existing areas of healthy and biodiverse forest. You can see from this year's images that plastic is a huge problem on our coastlines, something we can all consider when making choices in our day-to-day lives. The aim of the Mangrove Photography Awards is to spark empathy and connection to our natural world, which ultimately leads to a conservation impact on the ground. It gives people an opportunity to raise their voices for the protection of one of the most critical and threatened ecosystems.”