Regional brand manager Carrie Poon (left) presenting Ipah her award (Photo: Blancpain)
In the early 1950s, Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter was diving off the coast of Cannes when he lost track of time and ran out of air. That brush with death instigated an inventive spirit to create a reliable instrument that could overcome the challenges of timekeeping in the deep blue.
The solution arrived in 1953 in the form of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first modern dive watch. And for the last 70 years, the model remained the steadfast companion of choice for underwater explorers.
Aside from keeping divers safe, the maison has also been an ardent keeper of the sea through its Blancpain Ocean Commitment. The programme comprises three pillars: raising awareness of the ocean’s beauty; supporting scientific research on ecosystems and underwater phenomena; and taking concrete conservation action. In addition to aiding over 40 scientific expeditions and 15 marine protected areas, Blancpain has contributed to the preservation of over 4,700,000 sq km of the ocean.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year, presented by the brand and Oceanographic Magazine, is a particular cornerstone of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment. It aims to shine a light on the wonder and fragility of our seas as well as honour the photographers who give voice to their inhabitants.
The winner of this year’s competition is Spanish lensman Rafael Fernández Caballero for his arresting image of a Bryde’s whale feeding on a heart-shaped baitball. But the Female Fifty Fathoms Award goes to Malaysian photographer Ipah Uid Lynn, who is also its very first Asian recipient.
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This specific award was created in 2021 to celebrate pioneering and boundary-pushing women in ocean photography. Unlike other categories, the photographer is nominated by her peers and judged by the Ocean Photographer of the Year jury as well as a Blancpain delegation led by president and CEO Marc Hayek.
At the celebratory event at Blancpain’s KLCC boutique, along with the presence of family and friends, Ipah is over the moon. “Winning this award feels like a validation of all the years of hard work, endless dives, late-night editing and many moments of self-doubt. But more importantly, it’s a reminder that we’re all in this together as a community of ocean lovers, storytellers and advocates. I’m beyond proud to stand alongside such incredible talent and I’m excited for the journey ahead.”
Our victor was also presented with a Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, an ultra-slim and elegant dive watch with water resistance of 30 bar and power reserve of up to 100 hours. The self-winding timepiece displays the date and seconds and sports a unidirectional satin-brushed steel bezel with a ceramic insert.
Born in Johor Bahru but raised in Kuching, Ipah remembers her childhood flitting all over the country. “When I was a little older, my parents started bringing me everywhere because my father was in the army,” she recalls, though she now calls Kuala Lumpur home.
One would be surprised to know that this thrill-seeker was once petrified of the sea. “I had a major accident years ago in the ocean. But once I overcame that fear, I went into macro photography, which focuses on the tiniest details. After mastering that, I dove into wide-angle photography and eventually found myself exploring freshwater and even cave diving.
“When I’m underwater, I feel a sense of calm I can’t find elsewhere, especially as someone with ADHD. As I dive, all the noise shrinks slowly into this little ball of peace within me.”
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Ipah says her photography style is like storytelling with a dash of magic. “It’s about capturing the essence of marine life, their personalities and quirks, and making people feel something when they look at my work. I love those quiet, tender moments underwater that usually go unnoticed. And of course, I’m always playing with light and motion to bring the scene to life.”
An essential ingredient to a good photo is luck. One of Ipah’s star images is of a whale shark feeding near the surface in the Maldives. At night, there were plankton accumulating around her as they were attracted to the lights on the boat. It did not take long for the whale sharks to come for dinner.
“I was really lucky because there was also a swarm of fish coming by, which rarely happens. I saw the opportunity to capture something different. This particular fish is just grey but because I love colour, I used a number of torches to reflect colour on their bodies.”
Ipah’s favourite image, though, is a close-up of the humble goby, which took a few hours to shoot. “This particular type of fish is the shyest. Once you get near them, they dive into the hole and it takes a long time for them to come back out. But I’ve seen them before and know how beautiful their patterns are, so I was willing to wait.
“What I did was give it space. I made sure the fish was comfortable with me instead of the other way round. That’s how you respect marine life and gain amazing moment images. Once the fish was at ease, it came out and stared at me right in the eye. I had shivers down my body. And I could feel it in my bones that this was the moment. You know when they say the eyes are windows to the soul? This was the fish’s soul.”
But not only that, the goby also acts as the eyes of a certain crustacean. “Gobies always come in pairs, male and female, and the latter will always be bigger. But they also have an additional member — a shrimp. A lot of people don’t know that the threesome share a symbiotic relationship.”
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The goby acts as a watchman against predators in exchange for shelter in the shrimp’s burrow. “If danger is coming, they warn the shrimp and retreat together,” she adds. What is more remarkable is that this partnership lasts a lifetime.
Patience, awareness and respect are vital for Ipah’s practice. “Underwater photography is like a game of chess — you’re constantly strategising with the environment, the animals and the elements. You have to know how to approach different species without spooking them and be aware of your air bubbles and movements because the last thing you want to do is stress them out.”
As for advice she would give to aspiring underwater photographers, the expert says: “You don’t need to sell your soul for fancy gear! If a photographer is truly skilled, you can hand them any camera and they’ll still make the image come alive. It’s really about mastering light, composition and understanding and respecting animals and their behaviour. You can have the fanciest gear in the world but if you don’t know how to use it creatively, it’s just metal and glass.
“Start small and stay curious. Don’t rush! Learn with what you have and take time to appreciate the process of mastering it. Most importantly, respect the ocean — it’s your greatest teacher. And remember, your photos can inspire others to protect the planet. That’s powerful, so use it wisely!”
Ipah credits her family for her success. As a mother of six, one of whom has low spectrum autism, she says her kids taught her patience. “If I didn’t have any of them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I brought that patience underwater. I won’t be able to survive without my family. My husband is my backbone. My children are my soul.”
Receiving the Female Fifty Fathoms Award is a testament to her daughters that they too should chase their own dreams. “I always say don’t let people tell you what to do. Don’t get married too young. Enjoy your life. Learn everything. I tell my girls, if people tell you your dreams are nonsense, tell them this is what you want, then show them how it’s done.”
This article first appeared on Oct 14, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
