A striking photograph by American documentary photographer Anna Boyiazis has earned high recognition in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 competition, capturing the daily work of seaweed farmers in Tanzania's Zanzibar coast during low tide. The image, titled "Undersea Harvest," documents Maua Mkubwa and Maua Mdogo tending to their underwater seaweed farm in the crystal-clear waters of the Menai Bay Conservation Area.
The photograph was taken in the Menai Bay Conservation Area, which serves as the archipelago's largest marine protected area. This location has become a focal point for sustainable marine practices as local communities adapt to changing environmental and economic conditions. The image is part of the "Oceans - The Bigger Picture" category, which focuses on reporting the vital influence and importance of marine environments for both humanity and the planet.
The seaweed farming initiative represents a crucial shift for communities that were traditionally dependent on fishing but now face depleted fish stocks due to overfishing and other destructive practices. This female-led sustainable algae farming program has emerged as an alternative livelihood that not only improves economic conditions for local women but also provides significant environmental benefits. The algae cultivation helps absorb carbon from the atmosphere, purifies surrounding water, and creates new habitats for marine life.
Anna Boyiazis, who splits her time between Southern California and East Africa, specializes in documentary photography covering conservation, human rights, public health, and women's issues. Her work on this project connects to her ongoing series "Finding Freedom in the Water," which was first published by National Geographic and documents women and girls in Zanzibar learning to swim as an act of personal emancipation. She is a regular contributor to major publications including GEO, National Geographic, and The New York Times Magazine.
The winning photograph was captured using a Nikon Z9 camera with a 70mm f2.8 lens set at 38mm, shot at 1/160 second at f22 with ISO 400. Boyiazis holds an MFA from the Yale School of Art and a BA from UCLA's School of the Arts and Architecture. The image will be featured in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which aims to help viewers pause, reflect, and reconnect with the natural world through images that celebrate nature's beauty while urging environmental protection.
