SYDNEY, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- An underwater artist who snapped the black and white image of a school of fish being chased by predators has won the prestigious Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year award for 2018.
Titled Hide and Seek, the enchanting photo was taken by a Malaysian-based british woman underneath a jetty in Indonesia.
"I'd seen images on social media previously shot under this jetty which inspired me to travel to Raja Ampat," winner Tracey Jennings said on Friday.
"I dived the site over several days, land based and then again a week or so later on a liveaboard trip."
"I spent about six hours in total at a depth of less than five meters under the single relatively small jetty, only leaving when I finished my second air tank, way after sunset."
Although the image impressed judges, at the time the photo was barely even noticed by the artist who took it.
"This picture actually lay unloved on my hard drive for almost a year," Jennings said.
"When I did finally go through my images, this one jumped out at me."
"I love how the light plays through the fish, and how it really describes the essence of the feeling I experienced when below the jetty where life and death plays around you."
The judges who voted on the work described Hide and Seek as a "rich cacophony of shapes and an explosion of tonality," adding that the removal of color allows viewers to focus more on the subject.
"The vortex of fish draws us in and makes us want to be there," a statement from the judges said.
As part of the prize, Jennings will receive 10,000 Australian dollars (7,300 U.S. dollars) and a trip to Antarctica where she can continue her incredible photography of the nature world.
"It's such a great honor to be named this year's Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year," Jennings said.
"It's an important opportunity to showcase the beauty of our oceans to all people who visit this exhibition."
"I am so proud to be the first woman recognized as the winner of this competition."
