Annual Photography Competition

of the Delphis Association for 2025

The sea is a world unto itself, full of surprises. No two days at sea are ever the same. The marine environment offers spectacular encounters between living beings - people, animals, and ever-changing seascapes.

This marks the second year of our emerging annual photography competition tradition, launched to raise public awareness about the importance of protecting our marine environment and its inhabitants.
This year's chosen theme: Encounters.

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Delphis, an NGO dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals in Israel, invited you - both amateur and professional photographers - to capture those unique moments of encounter: between marine creatures, between people and the sea, between light and shadow, or between surprising and unexpected contrasts. We asked to see your unique perspective on the encounters that shape the marine world and the connections within it.

Registration is now closed - and we received hundreds of submissions!

The competition judging panel, including Dafna Ben Nun, National Geographic Israel’s house photographer, and Gil Lupo, photographer and filmmaker, convened to select the winning photos in each category. It wasn’t easy — but the judges reached their final decisions.

Meet the Winners

Underwater Category

1st Place: Gil Koplovitz
2nd Place: Ziv Buaron
3rd Place: Biran Peretz
Judges' Favorite: Ilan Bronkesh
Audience Favorite: Tomer Gilson

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Above Water Category

1st Place: Yonatan Giladi
2nd Place: Gilad Topaz
3rd Place: Meir Davidzon
Judges' Favorite: Kobi Pesach
Audience Favorite: Omer Levi

Out of Water Category

1st Place: Liz Teitelbaum
2nd Place: Adar Gil
3rd Place: Gilad Imes
Judges' Favorite: Ziv Ish Shalom
Audience Favorite: Yonatan Elak

Reminders from the Competition Rules:

• Each participant could submit one photo per registration, up to a maximum of three photos across three different categories.

• All photos must be taken in Israel.

• Images must be in JPEG format, with a minimum resolution of 1920 pixels, and must not include watermarks, logos, or photographer credits.

• Photos may be taken with any device or method — professional cameras, smartphones, long/short exposures, etc.

• Copyright remains with the photographer. All submitted images may be used only in the context of the competition, in accordance with the official rules.

Audience voting closed on April 10, 2025.
Winners were announced on International Dolphin Day, April 14, 2025, at the Sailor Yacht Club, Administration Building, Herzliya Marina.

The Prizes

1st Place:
Participation in a dolphin research expedition, led by the Delphis team and the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station at the Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa — in collaboration with Sailor Yacht Club & Sailing School.

2nd Place:
A “Yulia Pack” (T-shirt, cap, and bottle) from Delphis, produced in collaboration with SodaStream.

3rd Place:
A handmade Delphis ceramic gift set, created in collaboration with the Lilach Day Center in Ashdod.

Audience Favorite:
A limited-edition Yulia T-shirt, produced with SodaStream in honor of the legendary monk seal’s visit to Israel.

The competition is held in accordance with its official rules and guidelines.