Ashley Wee, 26, won the \u00a35,000 top prize with an image she captured off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas.<\/p>\n
The environmental photography contest was organised by the Prince of Wales\u2019s International Sustainability Unit and open to Commonwealth citizens.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the photo, Ashley \u2013 a biology graduate who had spotted a group of six or seven turtles while snorkelling \u2013 said: \u2018As we drifted within a few feet of them, these turtles were not disturbed by human presence as they maintained a quiet and natural demeanor.<\/p>\n
\u2018One in particular caught my attention, as it was bobbing at the surface.<\/p>\n
\u2018It made me think about this animal and how it was affected by things both above and below the ocean.\u2019<\/p>\n
Hanli Prinsloo, a free-diver and one of the judges, said: \u2018What immediately captivated me\u2026 was the implied vulnerability of the animal. The neck stretched up to the sky, the mouth slightly open and the implied gasp for air.<\/p>\n
\u2018In many ways, for me, this embodies the state of our oceans: vast, simple but vulnerable.\u2019<\/p>\n
Ashley received her award from the Prince of Wales at the Maritime Museum in Malta.<\/p>\n
The Prince of Wales said the number, quality and thoughtfulness of entries \u2018left me in no doubt as to the broad support that exists for doing things differently\u2019 concerning the state of oceans worldwide.<\/p>\n