ICYMARE Photo Competition

Show your research and join the ICYMARE Photo Competition

ICYMARE Photo Competition

Our Ocean – Unusual to Sea: Young Marine Researchers show their amazing work

In 2021, ICYMARE called for the submission of iconic photos of young marine researchers and early career professionals to the ICYMARE Photo Competition. We were very interested to see your research and read about your story behind the photo as well. Our jury helped us on the way and we enjoyed working together with Esther Horvath, Susanne Brahms, Tom Vierus and Fritz Habekuss.

The jury ranked the best 5 pictures for the ICYMARE photo grants (1000 – 400 €) from more than 300 submissions. Ten more pictures received an ICYMARE photo price of each 100 €.

We are so proud of our community; you guys are amazing! Many thanks for all the great pictures. We had to laugh a lot, nodding when the scene just reminded us of our own work as well. It doesn’t matter where we work, but for our research we are willing to go the extra mile, to suffer at ice and mud, soaked with a mouthful of water – at best. The passion for our work is what makes it so special to be a marine scientist, especially at an early career stage. And thanks to you we can now show it to the world. There will be an exhibition of the best pictures coming up, stay tuned.

The ICYMARE Photo Competition Jury

And the Winners are....

ICYMARE Photo Grant – Place 1

“Baby clowns doo doo”
by Morgan Bennett-Smith (27)

As a marine scientist primarily focusing on clownfish and anemones he found when studying the reproduction of clownfishes in situ, sometimes it helps to get up close and personal!

ICYMARE Photo Grant – Place 1

“Baby clowns doo doo”
by Morgan Bennett-Smith (27)

As a marine scientist primarily focusing on clownfish and anemones he found when studying the reproduction of clownfishes in situ, sometimes it helps to get up close and personal!

ICYMARE Photo Grant – Place 3

“Catch and ‘release’”
by Manuel Marinelli (38)

As a marine biologist running the small-scale NGO Project Manaia at the Mediterranean Sea he comes across the good but also ugly sides of research such as trail of unwanted bycatch and works on solutions

ICYMARE Photo Grant – Place 4.1

“The Tide is High”
by Timothy Thomson (30)

As a scientist doing field work in the mangroves of New Zealand you come at low tide by foot but float at high tide to avoid resuspending the fine sediments for the measurements at high tide.

ICYMARE Photo Grant – Place 4.2

“Underwater gardening”
by María Salinas (34)

As a biologist feeling like a fish out of the water when leaving it for too long. She worked on biorock structures, restoring coral reefs and spending hours getting rid of weeds or sponges, like an underwater gardener.