Photographing wildlife is unpredictable, but photographing wildlife underwater is a whole other level of unpredictability. First, you need to be a strong diver; second, you need solid camera skills; and third, you need a stroke of luck – but when it pays off, it can be magical.
That’s according to Brooke Pyke, an Australian photographer and expedition leader who specializes in underwater photography, and who recently won the “Animal” category at The Mono Awards 2026.
Hosted by Australian Photography and Capture magazines, the annual photography competition celebrates the world's best black-and-white (monochromatic) imagery, this year attracting over 3,000 entries from Australia, New Zealand, and other nations worldwide.
Speaking to the competition organizer about her winning scene, Pyke said: “With marine life, you never know what you might see, and that’s part of the magic.” The magic happened in Baja California, the peninsula state on Mexico’s northwestern coast.
Brooke Pyke's gear and settings: Canon EOS R5 Mark II | Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM | Nauticam underwater housing | 1/320sec | f/9 | ISO 400
Although the region is a hotspot for divers seeking a glimpse of incredible species such as whale sharks, sea lions, and mobula rays, Pyke said that she kept her “expectations low,” knowing that wildlife photography always “requires patience.”
However, after “plunging” into the Pacific waters with her Canon EOS R5 Mark II in a Nauticam underwater housing, luck was on the diver and photographer’s side. “I looked down to see around a hundred [mobula] rays moving slowly across the sand, silhouetted against a glowing white backdrop,” she said.
Using a Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye lens, Pyke was able to capture the entire group of rays along with the surroundings to create the shot, finishing it off dramatically with a black-and-white edit.
“Shooting over white sand was an amazing opportunity, with their shapes contrasting beautifully against the ripples,” she explained.
As this year’s Mono Award “Animal” category winner, Pyke snagged a healthy AU$2,500 (approximately $1,800 / £1,300) along with an 8TB Synology NAS storage. Not bad considering she had no idea what she was going to see that day.
To view all of the 2026 commended frames, as well as past winners, head to The Mono Awards website.
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