Matthew Smith, The Whales Welcome (LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT 2025)

A humpback whale rises from the deep, locking eyes with the lens in a moment of pure connection. Framed by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean and a distant tropical island, this split-level image captures the quiet curiosity of one of the ocean’s most majestic beings — a rare encounter where two worlds briefly met.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.