Prize-winning photos of spooky Whale Graveyard

The Swedish photographer has shared some of his award-winning photos of spooky Whale Graveyard in Greenland, Denmark, that won first prize in Scuba Diving’s 2022 Underwater Photo Contest Wide Angle category.

The eerie photos of a whale graveyard were captured by a Swedish photographer Alex Dawson which he shared on Twitter with the caption, “I’m very honored that Scuba Diving Magazine choose my image as a winner of 2022 in the wide-angle category.”

Dawson said, “Last but not least another image also got awarded with an honorable mention. And a big thank you for the first prize onboard the luxurious Red Sea Aggressor III in 2023.”

I’m very honored that Scuba Diving Magazine choose my image as a winner of 2022 in the wide-angle category. Last but not least another image also got awarded with an honorable mention. And a big thank you for the first prize onboard the luxurious Red Sea Aggressor III in 2023 😊 pic.twitter.com/vHGh3uMArE

— Alex_Dawson_Photography (@AlexDawsonPhoto) September 21, 2022

In an interview with Newsweek, Dawson said, “When I capture images I want to create ‘I wish I was there’ feelings. That’s my mantra.”

The image shows Dawson and his companion Anna Von Boetticher under three feet of packed ice in the bay of Tasiilaq, in Greenland. The duo swam among almost 20 whale carcasses to capture the winning shot, reported Newsweek.

“Usually to see whale bones like this you would need a submarine,” said Dawson. But in Greenland they lie just 15 to 20 feet below the surface and are virtually untouched.

To capture the image, he swam under the ice for over an hour, switching between breathing regulators as his breath froze in their valves. “Cold doesn’t give me any fear,” he said, after completing the dive.

The only entry point was through a small human-sized hole in the ice. “Going down into the darkness and you’re all alone,” he said. “You think who’s down here?”

Since being shared, the post has attracted over 44k likes and over 7,000 retweets. In the post’s comment section, several individuals have expressed their admiration and gratitude to the photographer for taking such a beautiful snapshot.