Brixham photographer to showcase award-winning ocean shot at major UK exhibition

A Brixham underwater photographer is set to take his place among the world’s best as his award-winning image goes on display at a major national exhibition.

Aaron Sanders, who was crowned ‘Young Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025’, will showcase his striking image at the Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition, making its UK debut at the The Historic Dockyard Chatham from 28 March.

The now 26-year-old captured the judges’ attention with an intimate photograph of two bobtail squid reproducing at a local dive site off the Devon coast.

Born into a family of divers, Sanders developed a deep connection to the sea from an early age. His father worked as a commercial diver, while his mother was a marine biologist, and his childhood was spent rock pooling, kayaking and watching nature documentaries.

He later went on to study Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, before building a career as an underwater cameraman, often working in locations as far afield as Indonesia.

Despite travelling the world, it is the UK’s own marine environments - from kelp forests to seagrass beds - that continue to draw him back.

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Speaking ahead of the exhibition, Sanders said: "I want to show people that we don’t always need to focus on the negatives in this conversation. I want to show people the absolute beauty that we have that is going under-appreciated beneath the seas around us.

"For instance, so many people don’t know that we have seahorses in the UK. You tell people, there are seahorses literally just out there, and they are shocked. They hear the doom and the problems that we are facing. But they’re not seeing it for themselves - so they’re blind to it.”

The exhibition is expected to bring together some of the most celebrated ocean photography from across the globe, while also highlighting the importance of marine conservation.

Paul Barnard, COO at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, said: "We are very excited to be hosting Ocean Photographer of the Year for the very first time in the UK here at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. This prestigious competition has been delighting audiences across the world with its stunning photography and we are pleased to be able to bring this to audiences in the UK, and specifically the south east.

"The exhibition provides a unique glimpse into our mysterious and magical underwater world but also importantly highlights the challenges we face surrounding ocean health and climate change. We hope that our visitors not only enjoy the stunning photography but also consider the impact we all have on ocean health and the steps we can all take to make our marine environment thrive."

The exhibition opens on 28 March and will run until 31 August 2026.