Winners
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Seas & Scenes: Love the Caribbean Photo Contest 2026! We were amazed by the creativity, talent, and passion captured in each submission. From breathtaking seascapes to vibrant moments of Caribbean culture, your photos truly celebrated the beauty and spirit of the region.
After careful review by our excellent panel of judges, we are proud to announce this year’s winners all October long.
Explore the beauty, wonder, and everyday moments of the Caribbean through the eyes of this year’s photo contest participants. Browse the full public gallery to discover every submitted photo and celebrate the creativity of our community.
Grand Prize Winners
🏆 Category Audience Choice Award
🥇 1st Place – Peter Rivera
“Jewel of the Wetlands“
“An American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) takes flight over the wetlands, showcasing its striking iridescent plumage while carrying a fresh catch. This image captures the raw energy and daily survival in the Caribbean’s freshwater ecosystems, where biodiversity thrives in every hidden corner.”
🥈 2nd Place – Jocselyn Mora
“Golden Passage“
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“Seen from the hills of French Saint Martin, two boats make their way across the water beneath the warm glow of the setting sun. For a brief moment, the sea, the boats, and the coastline come together in a golden scene. It is a quiet glimpse of island life, where the journey across the water is part of the rhythm of everyday Caribbean life.”
🥉 3rd Place – Maria Fernanda Armijo
“Colors of Chateaubelair“
“I sat on a wharf, enjoying a local meal of pork and potatoes. As the sky turned into brilliant shades of pink and purple over the calm bay, it was a moment of pure peace and connection with island life.”
🏆 Category Caribbean Life and Nature
🥇 1st Place – John Griffith
“The Little King“
“This is my favourite shot from my trip to Trinidad. It features the Tufted Coquette, the smallest hummingbird on the twin isles of Trinidad and Tobago. Despite its small size, it commands the room’s attention with its beautiful plumage and resilience, as it is sometimes territorial toward the garden’s flowers, since it is too small to use the feeders.”
🥈 2nd Place – Nina Manley
“Gold-Crowned Sea Goddess – Felimare acriba“
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“Found only in the Caribbean, Gold-Crowned Sea Goddess are brightly coloured and large compared to other nudibranchs. Little and gorgeous, nudibranchs are an indicator species for reef health. Their presence is a great sign and an absolute delight to see on a dive.”
🥉 3rd Place – Rose-Anne Reyes
“Ready for Service!“
“As the tide falls, the Fiddler Crabs emerge from the mud flats. Although they can be easily picked off by predators, the male Fiddler Crab waves his bright orange claw as if to be volunteering for duty.”
🏆 Category Environmental Impact and Stewardship
🥇 1st Place – David Estrada
“The Mangrove People“
“Environmental worker opens a channel for stagnant water to leave the manglar (mangrove wetland) and do not increase salinity. Mangroves are crucial for defense natural coastal against the tides and rising sea levels. In the last four decades its world population has been reduced by half.”
🥈 2nd Place – Ayesha Jordan
“The Way Back Home Ahead“
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“As I took my early morning walk along the shores of the beach, this particular stray dog would often follow me, apparently to keep me company. As I stopped to rest before I made my way back up the stretch of beach, he too rested as he sat quietly, looking at the long way back. I took this picture as I wondered what his thoughts would have been in that moment. Was he wondering about the long way home ahead? Or was he just silently waiting while keeping guard? Whatever he was thinking, I somehow knew he was not too concerned about the pressing environmental issues that lay ahead of him: a shoreline covered with sargassum weed, a blatant reminder of a challenge the Earth is currently facing, and we are seeing in recent years because of rapidly changing environmental factors that affect the Earth’s ecosystems and physical conditions. Just like our journey back home, so too is the earth is a long way forward to a place we can comfortably call home as we face and fight these challenges.”
🥉 3rd Place – Dan Mele
“Growing Coral“
“I was photographing a story about the workforce development internship at the Coral World Ocean & Reef Initiative (CWORI). This program provides opportunities for young Virgin Islanders to gain experience in coral restoration and other marine sciences. In this photo, the workforce fellow was picking out a coral that would be micro-fragmented – a common technique for propagating corals. Due to the stillness of the surface water in the nursery, I was able to get a perfect reflection of her hand as she picked up a piece of coral. The coral species is the great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), which has suffered major population declines in recent years from stony coral tissue loss disease and bleaching.”
🏆 Category Sailing, Yachting, and Life on the Water
🥇 1st Place – Albert Joseph
“Between the Boats“
“In our calm Caribbean waters, Anse la Raye as a fishing village sees many fishermen go out to sea very early and return well before mid-morning. Here a fisherman moves between the brightly coloured boats, while the sea serves as a beautiful backdrop. These small vessels are extremely important to the livelihood of the community. The triangular composition captured in the image represents the continuing relationship between the people, their boats and the water that sustains them.”
🥈 2nd Place – Jan Zegarra
“Scuba Life“
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“Scuba is part of my life in the water. This is the site of a B-29 Superfortress bomber that crashed off the coast of northwest coast of Puerto Rico in 1945. It is a crude reminder of our history with the USA and one of the most unique dives on the island. The schooling Atlantic spadefish are usually there and welcome for photos.”
🥉 3rd Place – Nicolas Bachmann
“Sailing into the Sunset“
“A boat on Bonairean waters sailing over sunset.”
Caribbean Choice Awards
In addition to the main prizes, our panel selected 18 photographs that stood out for their unique perspective, technical skill, or storytelling. These Caribbean Choice Award winners represent the diversity and creativity of entries from across the Caribbean and beyond.
EPIC Advocacy Award – Awarded by the EPIC team, this award celebrates an image that captures the resilience of nature and the need for stewardship and advocacy to shape a stronger, more sustainable future for people and planet.
The Beauty of Everyday Life Award – Awarded by the EPIC team, this award celebrates the beauty in ordinary moments, capturing the simple joys and human connections that enrich everyday life in the Caribbean.
Ocean Voyage Award – Awarded by Caribbean Compass magazine’s team, this award celebrates the spirit of open-water exploration and the tranquil beauty of navigating the seas.
Sailing Heritage Award – Awarded by Caribbean Compass magazine’s team, this award celebrates the skills, traditions, and community pride that keep the Caribbean’s sailing heritage alive.
Coolest Caribbean Critter Award – Celebrating native creatures, great and small, that make the Caribbean come alive.
Stories of the Islands Award – This award celebrates the traditions, festivities, and cultural expressions that give Caribbean communities their distinctive identity.
Wave Keeper Award – A tribute to those who work and live alongside the sea.
Taking the Scenic Route Award – This award celebrates a photograph that invites us to slow down and take in the Caribbean’s spectacular scenery.
Life Becomes Art Award – This award celebrates a moment when light, color, and form come together to turn the natural world into a living work of art.
The Roots & Reefs Award – This award celebrates Caribbean culture and ocean stewardship, honoring the people who bring their identity and dedication to protecting life beneath the waves.
Hope for Change Award – Celebrating an image that captures the delicate balance between growth and human development, in the face of environmental pressures.
Best Action Shot Award – Recognizing a single striking shot that captures a perfect moment, blending creativity, timing, and perspective into an unforgettable image.
The Storyteller Award – Awarded by Judge Gabriela Massip Figueredo, this award highlights a photograph that invites us into a larger story, revealing a life beyond the moment captured.
Sea & Wind Award – Awarded by Judge Lexi Fisher, the Sea & Wind Award celebrates the harmony between ocean and sky, current and breeze.
Bright Future For Nature Award – Awarded by Judge Keone Drew, this award honors an image that inspires hope for nature’s future and celebrates the promise of new beginnings.
The Heart of the Caribbean Award – Awarded by Judge Makil Bedminster, the Heart of the Caribbean Award honors a photo that tells a story about people, place, and culture in the Caribbean.
Resilience Award – Awarded by Judge Irtha Daniel, the Resilience Award showcases the determination to keep going in the face of hardships.
The Free Spirit Award – Awarded by Judge Lucy Tulloch, this award celebrates the free spirit of both the photographer and their subjects.
EPIC Advocacy Award
Awarded by the EPIC team, this award celebrates an image that captures the resilience of nature and the need for stewardship and advocacy to shape a stronger, more sustainable future for people and planet. Taken along the drains in Trinidad and Tobago on the boundary of the Caroni Swamp.
A Black-necked Stilt stands quietly along the muddy edge of the wetland; its striking plumage continues its search for food among scattered plastic bottles, coconut husks, and other discarded waste, telling a different story about the habitat it depends on. Despite the growing presence of pollution, life continues, adapting and surviving where it can.
“We chose this photo because it makes you stop and look at what this bird is living with. It’s searching for food in a wetland scattered with rubbish, going about its day in a place we’ve allowed to become polluted. At EPIC, we want people to notice these problems and feel that they can do something about them. This photo brings that message home in a very direct way. It reminds us that the places we discard waste are also places wildlife depends on.“
Taking the Scenic Route Award
This award celebrates a photograph that invites us to slow down and take in the Caribbean’s spectacular scenery. Taken in Petit Treu Lambeau, Tobago.
Taken along the Atlantic seaside coast of Lambeau Tobago this is a top down angle of the once active Coconut plantation that catered to the people of the island and where the road meets the sea. As the waves crash against the shore it’s interesting to see the different blend of colours that emerge from the land meeting the ocean.
The Storyteller Award
Awarded by judge Gabriela Massip Figueredo, this award highlights a photograph that invites us into a larger story, revealing a life beyond the moment captured. Taken in Grand Case, Saint Martin.
I was looking to capture life in Saint-Martin when I photographed this man reading his newspaper on his terrace in Grand Case. To me, this image shows how a small part of someone’s daily routine can illuminate and bring life to an entire street.
“The geometry, the composition and the story of this photo work so beautifully together. The image is one I would see in my childhood, peeking at my abuelo quietly reading his newspaper while the grandkids played nearby. The subject’s obscured face invites spectators to see their own grandfathers or community elders, evoking a sense of nostalgia and affection. The curved lines of his chair merge with the curves of the wall beneath him; and the straight lines of the pillar and windows complement the straight lines of the newspaper’s text. The blurry foreground elements make us feel like we are there, peeking over our shoulder to see what abuelo is up to.“
Best Action Shot Award
Recognizing a single striking shot that captures a perfect moment, blending creativity, timing, and perspective into an unforgettable image. Taken in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola.
The Ridgway’s Hawk is an endemic and critically endangered specie in the Hispaniola Island. I was tracking this fledgling, with the other siblings, to see how they are developing. I got the opportunity to spot them taking a shower on the grass. Not a really common behavior close to humans, but this gives us the opportunity to understand the innocence and joy of young nature.
Sailing Heritage Award
Awarded by Caribbean Compass magazine’s team, this award celebrates the skills, traditions, and community pride that keep the Caribbean’s sailing heritage alive. Taken in Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.
Workboats on GrandAnse beach Grenada during the Grenada Sailing Festival
“Better than a roll of Life Savers candy, this colorful display conveys the sun-drenched joy that is the work boat. Because it also highlights a cherished and important annual regatta in Grenada, it deserves cover placement.“
Stories of the Islands Award
This award celebrates the traditions, festivities, and cultural expressions that give Caribbean communities their distinctive identity. Taken in Antigua/Barbuda.
Together in the Parade is exciting, try to shoot always unnoticed situations
Resilience Award
Awarded by Judge Irtha Daniel, the Resilience Award showcases the determination to keep going in the face of hardships. Taken in New Providence, The Bahamas.
Men depart a public boat dock on a Sunday morning
“The capacity to bounce back quickly from tough situations, hardships, or changes”. Such is the definition of resilience, which I thought this photo was a perfect example of. It seems to capture the relentless effort of humans to explore the sea, to inhabit these spaces that sometimes feel like they were not made for us. Coexisting with something as rough as the sea can be surely comes with hardships, yet, as this photo reminds us, the best attitude to adopt is to fiercely embrace it, and bravely present yourself to it, continuously. Keep trying, some days will be as clear and calm as the sea in this photo.
I found resilience was also very much expressed in the structure of the photo. This man looks so small in comparison to the endless sea, yet he seems determined to fulfill his mission. Considering the photo is mostly composed with sea and sky, it gives the impression that he is is becoming one with his environment.
I find this image displays the strong capacity Caribbean people have to coexist with their physical environment, falling when it gets hard and getting back on their feet to try again.“
Coolest Caribbean Critter Award
Celebrating native creatures, great and small, that make the Caribbean come alive. Taken in Wheeland Pond, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
White Cheeked Pintail gracefully swim and feed. At some point, it appears to struck a pose and gave me its best self for this image.
The Roots & Reefs Award
This award celebrates Caribbean culture and ocean stewardship, honoring the people who bring their identity and dedication to protecting life beneath the waves. Taken in Mayreau, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Helping to save and preserve the conch so they won’t go extinct
The Heart of the Caribbean Award
Awarded by judge Makil Bedminster, the Heart of the Caribbean Award honors a photo that tells a story about people, place, and culture in the Caribbean. Taken in Portland Cottage, Jamaica.
On a quiet Sunday morning in Portland Cottage, the usual rhythm of the fishing village pauses. Beneath the shade of a zinc-roofed hut, two fishermen sit back and share a drink, enjoying an unhurried moment together. There is no boat to launch, no nets to mend, and no call of the open sea today. Just conversation, companionship and the simple pleasure of a well-earned day off.
“I chose this image because, to me, it captures the true heart of the Caribbean: its people.
The Caribbean is so often celebrated for its natural beauty, its colors, its biodiversity, its beaches, and everything that makes these islands visually unforgettable. But behind all of that beauty are the people who live here, care for it, build within it, protect it, nurture it, and continue pushing these islands forward.
That is what this image represents.
It is a reminder that the Caribbean is not only a place. It is a living community shaped every day by the people who call it home.
I also want to recognize and thank those individuals who take on the responsibility of teaching the next generation how to care for these islands, preserve their culture, and carry that knowledge forward. The future of the Caribbean depends not only on protection but on passing down the values, traditions, skills, and stories that help each generation understand what is worth protecting.
This recognition is for them. For the people who keep these islands breathing, growing, and beautiful in ways that often go unseen, and for those making sure the next generation is ready to do the same.
That, to me, is the heart of the Caribbean.“
Life Becomes Art Award
This award celebrates a moment when light, color, and form come together to turn the natural world into a living work of art. Taken in Exuma Islands, Bahamas.
During a liveaboard trip in the Exumas, Bahamas, I saw this nurse shark show up behind our boat while we were anchored one afternoon. As I slid into the water with my camera, I saw that the midday sun was glimmering beautifully on his skin. The sun shone through the rippling water, creating a magical kaleidoscopic effect. The resulting shimmering rainbows were an otherworldly sight, and I knew I had to try and capture an image to immortalize the moment. This nurse shark was quite friendly, even bumping into me at times, allowing me the chance to capture his beauty. I spent well over an hour in the water with him, and would have stayed in the water all day if I could have!
Bright Future For Nature Award
Awarded by Judge Keone Drew, this award honors an image that inspires hope for nature’s future and celebrates the promise of new beginnings. Taken in Duquesne Bay Beach, Grenada.
We arrived at Duquesne Bay, on the Northwest coast of Grenada, to view the Amerindian Petroglyphs at about 4pm local time. A few minutes later, we were walking back to the car and spotted a “baby turtle” on the beach flapping and crawling towards the ocean. Immediately recognizing it as a leatherback turtle, we headed to the top of the beach and found the clutch of hatchlings emerging, watching the turtle boil in amazement, with giant smiles on our faces. Witnessing leatherback hatchlings emerge from the sand is rare for non-researchers. The vast majority of hatchlings emerge at night or very late dusk, under the cover of darkness for safety, using the moon’s reflection off the sea to guide them in the right direction. These three turtles were at the edge of the water, trying to navigate the waves. Two siblings seemed to be speaking to one another, urging each other to continue the fight to survive.
“This image captured a profoundly intimate and rare moment in nature. The composition and technical quality of this photo showcase the delicate connection between marine wildlife and its ecosystem. The unknowing bond and resilience of this endangered species embodied in this image, evoked a strong emotional attachment that kept this judge returning to admire the vast details within the frame.“
Ocean Voyage Award
Awarded by Caribbean Compass magazine’s team, this award celebrates the spirit of open-water exploration and the tranquil beauty of navigating the seas. Taken in Antigua.
While walking the beach one day, this classic sailboat caught my eye. Alone in a sea of blue and green it had an ethereal aura that was totally captivating. Happy to see it was an iconic Hinckley – crafted in my home state of Maine. The ocean truly does connect us all.
“The mood conveyed in this image of a Hinckley sailboat underway veers to the otherworldly, enhanced by the “ethereal aura” frame the photographer captured around it. Such a unique perspective deserves cover placement.“
Hope for Change Award
Celebrating an image that captures the delicate balance between growth and human development, in the face of environmental pressures. Taken in Hawks Nest Pond, near the Cruise Ship Center, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.
In the winter, hundreds of flamingos and other wading birds gather in Hawks Nest Salina, Hawks Nest Pond, North Wells and South Wells and the other island Salinas. Summer also brings nesting black neck stilts and least turns. Birding on Grand Turk could support conservation if these sites can be protected. Birding is now in fashion so cruise ship passengers, locals and other visitors can enjoy these marvelous feathered friends if adviser environmental impacts are avoided. Setting aside preserves in the Salinas and freshwater well areas will provide refuge, food and water for these amazing animals that protect our environment. Now we just need some stewards to step up.
Sea & Wind Award
Awarded by judge Lexi Fisher, the Sea & Wind Award celebrates the harmony between ocean and sky, current and breeze. Taken in the Grenadines.
I was skippering the yacht “Nightwind'” at the time and we were having a lovely sail south in the Grenadines and I snapped the reflection of the sun off the sea. The photo brings back many happy memories but I also find it very calming.
“I love the starburst sun sitting perfectly between the boom and the sail, and the dramatic contrast of the highlights on the water against the dark sea. It reminds me of my childhood sailing with my Dad, when I would squint my eyes at the sun reflecting on the sea and imagine it was huge schools of golden fish swimming along the surface.“
Wave Keeper Award
A tribute to those who work and live alongside the sea. Taken in Mexico.
A fisherman prepares his nets
The Free Spirit Award
Awarded by Judge Lucy Tulloch, this award celebrates the free spirit of both the photographer and their subjects. Taken in Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.
They say friendships come and go, and that’s true but in some cases some bonds are just too strong to break. The silhouette represents the friendship everyone wants, strong and vibrant, while the holding hands represent the help through struggles along the way, and that we will always be there to support one another.
“It’s not easy to capture everyone in the air at the same time and I love the way the photographer has shot it to emphasize their spirited leaps high into the air, capturing great energy in their arms and legs.
I was captivated by the way the hand-holding people themselves bring such a recognizably Caribbean presence to the image.
I encourage photographers to begin to let their spirit lead when shooting.“
The Beauty of Everyday Life Award
Awarded by the EPIC team, this award celebrates the beauty in ordinary moments, capturing the simple joys and human connections that enrich everyday life in the Caribbean. Taken in Grand Anse, Grenada.
I was visiting the beach, saw this couple blissfully swimming in the sea. I asked if I could take a portrait. I love to see people using their natural resources.
“We loved how much personality this photo has. It’s a familiar beach moment that feels so Caribbean, and it makes you smile. The expressions and little details give you a sense of the people in the picture, and that’s what stayed with us. It captures the pleasure of taking a little time to enjoy the day. We wanted to recognize that, because these everyday moments are worth noticing and celebrating.”