Wildlife / Animals nominee

A Caribbean reef shark glides above, its silhouette transforming the sun into an underwater eclipse. This moment, captured in the Bahamas, highlights the grace and mystery of a species often misunderstood. Sharks, essential to marine ecosystems, are too often feared rather than revered. By using the interplay of light and shadow, I sought to reframe the narrative—inviting viewers to see beyond the silhouette and into the elegance of these apex predators.

The backlighting effect accentuates the shark’s form while the sun’s refracted rays create a celestial atmosphere, emphasizing the otherworldly beauty of the ocean. In fine art photography, light is everything—it sculpts, defines, and reveals. Here, it transforms the scene into something ethereal, evoking both wonder and respect for the life beneath the waves.

This image is part of my ongoing effort to shift perspectives on sharks, illustrating them not as threats, but as vital, awe-inspiring creatures that deserve protection.

Remuna is an artist, award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and passionate conservationist. Her underwater work captures the extraordinary diversity of life beneath the surface, highlighting both the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems and species, with a special focus on sharks. Through her lens, Remuna strives to deepen our connection to nature and raise awareness of critical conservation issues, aiming to inspire a greater appreciation and collective action to protect our planet’s most vital ecosystems.

Remuna is honored to have received over 100 international photography awards and distinctions, with work recognized across leading underwater, wildlife, and fine art programs including Fine Art Photography Awards, Underwater Photographer of the Year, Ocean Photographer of the Year, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Prix de la Photographie Paris (PX3), Ocean Geographic, and the Siena Awards. Her work has been exhibited internationally, from the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney to venues across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Africa.