Winners Gallery

An orca mother and her calf. "This was the most beautiful day I've had in Northern Norway," says photographer Andreas Schmid. "The mother stayed in front of her calf while they swam past me, making sure I couldn't get too close while still giving the calf a chance to have a good look at me. During the winter months the sun above the Arctic circle is very low or doesn't even rise at all. The window for in-water whale encounters with bright light and sunrays is short. Out of dozens of days this was the only time it all came together."