Aussie photographers recognised for great blue snaps in global competition
Five Australian photographers have blitzed a global competition with their incredible pictures of life under the sea. VIEW THE GALLERY
National
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Photographer Alex Kydd was chasing whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia when he came across some unexpected rays of happiness.
This encounter with a fever of cownose rays was captured while free diving to a depth of six metres.
“The rays were spiralling up and down the water column from the surface to 20 meters for a brief moment until they disappeared into the deep,” the 29-year-old said.
“The rays were circling and rubbing together … it may have been possible mating or a social behaviour.”
Mr Kydd, originally from Melbourne, received a Highly Commended in the international competition, the 2020 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.
Photographers Scott Portelli, Matty Smith and Emilie Ledwidge also received Highly Commended for their entries – capturing emperor fish at Lord Howe Island, a newly hatched hawksbill turtle at Papua New Guinea and a grey shark swimming alongside bait fish at Ningaloo Reef.
GALLERY: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2020 entries
Ms Ledwidge said: “When I found this bait ball I dived down, holding on to some rock to stay steady and motionless hoping that I would go unnoticed by the many sharks surrounding the reef bommie.”
“As I held my breath, seeing nothing but a wall of tiny fish, I hoped that one of the sharks would go straight through and over my head and sure enough one did.”
Photographer Mel Mu received Commended for her picture of seven baby seahorses at Blairgowrie Pier as well.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition has been running since 2014-15 and now attracts more than 5500 entries from more than 70 countries.
The winners were selected by judges Peter Rowlands, Martin Edge and Alex Mustard, who chose their favourite by looking at subject matter, visual styles, photographic techniques and genres.