NewsBite

Greg Lecoeur’s entry, Frozen Mobil Home, taken in the Antarctic Peninsula.He said: “Massive and mysterious habitats, icebergs are dynamic kingdoms that support marine life. As they swing and rotate slowly through polar currents, icebergs fertilise the oceans by carrying nutrients from land that spark blooms of phytoplankton, fundamental to the carbon cycle. During an expedition in Antarctic Peninsula with filmmaker Florian Fisher and freediver Guillaume Nery, we explored and documented the hidden face of this iceberg where crab-eater seals have taken up residence on icebergs that drift at the whim of polar currents.”
1/45Greg Lecoeur’s entry, Frozen Mobil Home, taken in the Antarctic Peninsula.
He said: “Massive and mysterious habitats, icebergs are dynamic kingdoms that support marine life. As they swing and rotate slowly through polar currents, icebergs fertilise the oceans by carrying nutrients from land that spark blooms of phytoplankton, fundamental to the carbon cycle. During an expedition in Antarctic Peninsula with filmmaker Florian Fisher and freediver Guillaume Nery, we explored and documented the hidden face of this iceberg where crab-eater seals have taken up residence on icebergs that drift at the whim of polar currents.”
Anita Kainrath’s entry, Lemon Shark Nursery, taken in the Bahamas.She said: “The Bahamas has been a shark sanctuary since 2011 but Mangroves aren’t protected yet and that’s where these lemon shark pups spend the first 5-8 years of their lives. I was standing in knee-high water, trying to hold my camera still, waiting for the sharks. Trying not to move when you have mosquitoes and sandflies buzzing around you was probably the part I struggled with the most at this moment. After less than one hour the little predators came closer and finally swam around my feet and my camera, bumping against me and trying to taste my strobes. They are curious little fellas but you need time to gain their trust and I love observing them in their natural habitat and that’s what I wanted to capture. They are such characters and we need to protect their nurseries in order to make sure their population is not declining.”
2/45Anita Kainrath’s entry, Lemon Shark Nursery, taken in the Bahamas.
She said: “The Bahamas has been a shark sanctuary since 2011 but Mangroves aren’t protected yet and that’s where these lemon shark pups spend the first 5-8 years of their lives. I was standing in knee-high water, trying to hold my camera still, waiting for the sharks. Trying not to move when you have mosquitoes and sandflies buzzing around you was probably the part I struggled with the most at this moment. After less than one hour the little predators came closer and finally swam around my feet and my camera, bumping against me and trying to taste my strobes. They are curious little fellas but you need time to gain their trust and I love observing them in their natural habitat and that’s what I wanted to capture. They are such characters and we need to protect their nurseries in order to make sure their population is not declining.”
Rafael Fernandez’s entry, Tuna fishery during the moment of rising nets, taken in Ceuta.He said: “The tuna fisheries in the Straits of Gibraltar are emblematic fishing spots. All animals that come into the Mediterranean come through the Strait so usually anything can be seen in these places. I was able to visit the fishery during the day when they are lifting the nets in order to get the fishes inside. Places like this fishery in Ceuta are aware of the importance of taking care of the environment and fishes that are not useful such as sun fishes or turtles are thrown away or taken into a dedicated centre in order to heal them. It was impressive to see all that movement and be surrounded by hundreds of fishes, but the best thing was to see fishermen taking care of animals that were not edible in the middle of all that chaos, a clear message of how things can be done right.”
3/45Rafael Fernandez’s entry, Tuna fishery during the moment of rising nets, taken in Ceuta.
He said: “The tuna fisheries in the Straits of Gibraltar are emblematic fishing spots. All animals that come into the Mediterranean come through the Strait so usually anything can be seen in these places. I was able to visit the fishery during the day when they are lifting the nets in order to get the fishes inside. Places like this fishery in Ceuta are aware of the importance of taking care of the environment and fishes that are not useful such as sun fishes or turtles are thrown away or taken into a dedicated centre in order to heal them. It was impressive to see all that movement and be surrounded by hundreds of fishes, but the best thing was to see fishermen taking care of animals that were not edible in the middle of all that chaos, a clear message of how things can be done right.”
Shane Keena’s entry, Unnatural habitat, taken in the Republic of Palau.He said: “The unfortunate reality is that human impact is found everywhere … even on the tiniest and remote of islands among the smallest of critters. Here, on Peleliu Island in Micronesia, a hermit crab has made use of a discarded metal can from Asia as a temporary, yet very unnatural home. Sadly, this is not the first encounter I have seen on these islands where these hermit crabs use discards for shelters and have seen them using human discards ranging from plastic Kurig single use coffee pods, to old metal bolts. I hope images like this bring a greater awareness that there is no “away” and helps to foster a new attitude towards becoming better stewards for this beautiful planet. Please recycle and love our planet … it’s the only one we have.”
4/45Shane Keena’s entry, Unnatural habitat, taken in the Republic of Palau.
He said: “The unfortunate reality is that human impact is found everywhere … even on the tiniest and remote of islands among the smallest of critters. Here, on Peleliu Island in Micronesia, a hermit crab has made use of a discarded metal can from Asia as a temporary, yet very unnatural home. Sadly, this is not the first encounter I have seen on these islands where these hermit crabs use discards for shelters and have seen them using human discards ranging from plastic Kurig single use coffee pods, to old metal bolts. I hope images like this bring a greater awareness that there is no “away” and helps to foster a new attitude towards becoming better stewards for this beautiful planet. Please recycle and love our planet … it’s the only one we have.”
Scott Gutsy’s entry, Tradition kills, taken in Indonesia.He said: “I went to Kei to shoot leatherback turtles. On the first day out, our boat happened to witness the local villagers hunting this turtle with a harpoon. They speared it and battled with it for at least an hour. The weakened turtle was then brought near the boat, where it was bludgeoned over the head. Local law permits the killing of leatherback turtles only for subsistence and limits harvesting to one turtle a week, which is an unsustainable and unacceptable practice considering the leatherback’s endangered and protected status. I asked permission to jump in and photograph the hunt, which used to be associated with traditional beliefs and rituals, but now mainly serves as a food source for the growing population of islanders.”
5/45Scott Gutsy’s entry, Tradition kills, taken in Indonesia.
He said: “I went to Kei to shoot leatherback turtles. On the first day out, our boat happened to witness the local villagers hunting this turtle with a harpoon. They speared it and battled with it for at least an hour. The weakened turtle was then brought near the boat, where it was bludgeoned over the head. Local law permits the killing of leatherback turtles only for subsistence and limits harvesting to one turtle a week, which is an unsustainable and unacceptable practice considering the leatherback’s endangered and protected status. I asked permission to jump in and photograph the hunt, which used to be associated with traditional beliefs and rituals, but now mainly serves as a food source for the growing population of islanders.”
Theresa Guise’s entry, Turtle Haven, taken in Galapagos.She said: “Thirty turtles basking in a sunny bay is not a common site. We stumbled upon this large group soaking up the sun in the bay of Punta Vincente Roca, while returning from a dive to photograph the mola mola. The tiny bay was so thick with Galapagos green sea turtles that they clumsily bumped into each other. With only a few minutes to take some images, we slid into the water and began shooting. These beauties were not what we set out to photograph earlier, the shy mola mola in the dark, cold morning. Instead, we witnessed a stunning example of successful marine conservation. The Galapagos Marine Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. The diverse population of ocean life thrive in this protected space. Turtle haven illustrates why we must protect the ocean and make it a lifelong commitment.”
6/45Theresa Guise’s entry, Turtle Haven, taken in Galapagos.
She said: “Thirty turtles basking in a sunny bay is not a common site. We stumbled upon this large group soaking up the sun in the bay of Punta Vincente Roca, while returning from a dive to photograph the mola mola. The tiny bay was so thick with Galapagos green sea turtles that they clumsily bumped into each other. With only a few minutes to take some images, we slid into the water and began shooting. These beauties were not what we set out to photograph earlier, the shy mola mola in the dark, cold morning. Instead, we witnessed a stunning example of successful marine conservation. The Galapagos Marine Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. The diverse population of ocean life thrive in this protected space. Turtle haven illustrates why we must protect the ocean and make it a lifelong commitment.”
Greg Lecoeur’s entry, Crab-eater Seal, taken in Antarctica.He said: “During an expedition on a small sailboat, Guillaume Nery, Florian Fisher and myself explored the Antarctic Peninsula by diving below the surface. Although the conditions were extreme with a temperature of -1° C, we documented extraordinary marine life in a fragile ecosystem, such as on this image: crab-eater seal. We also saw leopard seals, gentoo penguins, Antarctica fur seals, and Weddell seals. All these marine animals are affected by global warming with the melting of the ice. Despite the name, Crabeater Seals don’t eat Crabs. Krill make up to 95 per cent of a Crabeater Seal's diet. Crabeater seals have developed a sieve-shaped tooth structure that filters krill, much like whale baleen. They suck up water containing krill, close their jaws, and push the water between their specialised teeth, trapping the krill inside.”
7/45Greg Lecoeur’s entry, Crab-eater Seal, taken in Antarctica.
He said: “During an expedition on a small sailboat, Guillaume Nery, Florian Fisher and myself explored the Antarctic Peninsula by diving below the surface. Although the conditions were extreme with a temperature of -1° C, we documented extraordinary marine life in a fragile ecosystem, such as on this image: crab-eater seal. We also saw leopard seals, gentoo penguins, Antarctica fur seals, and Weddell seals. All these marine animals are affected by global warming with the melting of the ice. Despite the name, Crabeater Seals don’t eat Crabs. Krill make up to 95 per cent of a Crabeater Seal's diet. Crabeater seals have developed a sieve-shaped tooth structure that filters krill, much like whale baleen. They suck up water containing krill, close their jaws, and push the water between their specialised teeth, trapping the krill inside.”
Paolo Isgro’s entry, say me, taken in Tonga.He said: “This photo was taken in Tonga during a Naia liveaboard. On the second day, in the middle of lunch, the cruise director called us because there was a lot of whale action right around the boat. So in a fraction we climb out of the chair, jump into the wetsuit swallowing the last bite and dive into the water. A couple of young whales really want to play with us and minutes after minute they get closer and closer. And it was during a freediving at 10m that I saw this whale came so close to me: it looks at me very intensely and says “Hello” in one breath exhaling so many bubbles.”
8/45Paolo Isgro’s entry, say me, taken in Tonga.
He said: “This photo was taken in Tonga during a Naia liveaboard. On the second day, in the middle of lunch, the cruise director called us because there was a lot of whale action right around the boat. So in a fraction we climb out of the chair, jump into the wetsuit swallowing the last bite and dive into the water. A couple of young whales really want to play with us and minutes after minute they get closer and closer. And it was during a freediving at 10m that I saw this whale came so close to me: it looks at me very intensely and says “Hello” in one breath exhaling so many bubbles.”
Ines Goovaerts’ entry, Minke Wave, taken in Australia. He said: “You know those moments when you imagine a shot and you hope it turns out as planned, but 99 per cent of the time it doesn’t? Well, this wasn’t one of those. This was that 1 per cent. While working for a season on the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, I had the privilege of photographing heaps of marine life. As a freediver, you mostly use the common angle facing downwards or upwards the subject. This time, I wanted to try something different and let the wave frame the animal. Easier said than done, as open ocean marine life isn’t trained very well and doesn’t respond to “stay”. Yet, very unsuspected, out of the blue, (literally) this pod of 6 Minke Whales heads my direction and starts their investigation. One individual in particular, swims besides me and freezes at the surface. Mesmerised we look into each other’s eyes. And there it happened. The click.”
9/45Ines Goovaerts’ entry, Minke Wave, taken in Australia.
He said: “You know those moments when you imagine a shot and you hope it turns out as planned, but 99 per cent of the time it doesn’t? Well, this wasn’t one of those. This was that 1 per cent. While working for a season on the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, I had the privilege of photographing heaps of marine life. As a freediver, you mostly use the common angle facing downwards or upwards the subject. This time, I wanted to try something different and let the wave frame the animal. Easier said than done, as open ocean marine life isn’t trained very well and doesn’t respond to “stay”. Yet, very unsuspected, out of the blue, (literally) this pod of 6 Minke Whales heads my direction and starts their investigation. One individual in particular, swims besides me and freezes at the surface. Mesmerised we look into each other’s eyes. And there it happened. The click.”
Oleg Gaponyuk’s entry, Fotteyo overhangs, taken in the Maldives.She said: “Fotteyo overhangs, with golden bunches of soft corals that you can see in this picture, is a rather famous place in the southern Maldives. It is impossible to cover the cave even with a fisheye lens due to its small depth. That’s how I decided to create a panorama of this place. It was my first underwater panorama created with the use of lighting and I am so happy that such technologies push the boundaries of underwater photography. The Maldives are experiencing difficult times as the temperature rise has led to the death of many hard corals. It is sad to see how splend pebbles. Nevertheless, there are places that have preserved the pristine beauty, and I am happy to share it with my spectators.”
10/45Oleg Gaponyuk’s entry, Fotteyo overhangs, taken in the Maldives.
She said: “Fotteyo overhangs, with golden bunches of soft corals that you can see in this picture, is a rather famous place in the southern Maldives. It is impossible to cover the cave even with a fisheye lens due to its small depth. That’s how I decided to create a panorama of this place. It was my first underwater panorama created with the use of lighting and I am so happy that such technologies push the boundaries of underwater photography. The Maldives are experiencing difficult times as the temperature rise has led to the death of many hard corals. It is sad to see how splend pebbles. Nevertheless, there are places that have preserved the pristine beauty, and I am happy to share it with my spectators.”
Renee Capozzola’s entry, Saudi Titanic, taken in Saudi Arabia.She said: “This split shot of the Georgios shipwreck was taken in Saudi Arabia in the area of NEOM, along the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. In 1978, this large cargo ship became stranded on a bed of corals and then had a large fire. The wreck is now known by many locals as the “Saudi Titanic” and sits halfway out of the water at the bow and in roughly 80 feet of water at the stern. There is a large school of tiny fish that live inside and there is abundant coral growth on the ship itself, which now serves as an artificial reef for many marine organisms. I wanted to capture this wreck as a split to highlight more of the ship but at the time the light hit the port side, it was a bit wavy so I was fortunate to have gotten this shot!”
11/45Renee Capozzola’s entry, Saudi Titanic, taken in Saudi Arabia.
She said: “This split shot of the Georgios shipwreck was taken in Saudi Arabia in the area of NEOM, along the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. In 1978, this large cargo ship became stranded on a bed of corals and then had a large fire. The wreck is now known by many locals as the “Saudi Titanic” and sits halfway out of the water at the bow and in roughly 80 feet of water at the stern. There is a large school of tiny fish that live inside and there is abundant coral growth on the ship itself, which now serves as an artificial reef for many marine organisms. I wanted to capture this wreck as a split to highlight more of the ship but at the time the light hit the port side, it was a bit wavy so I was fortunate to have gotten this shot!”
Henley Spiers’ entry, Constellation of Eagle Rays, taken in the Maldives.He said: “A school of uniquely patterned spotted eagle rays passes beneath me on an unforgettable dive in the Maldives. Like most divers, I have always found these rays to be especially spellbinding, but also highly elusive! This school passed beneath me towards the end of our dive and it was one of those rare moments of huge admiration, as well as immense inspiration. I could visualise the image I wanted and, while the rays glided effortlessly, I swam my heart out trying to keep up and unlock the desired camera angle. The rays continued forward and deeper, giving me just a few moments to capture this frame. Scientists have just recently confirmed that the spotting on each ray is a unique identifier, the equivalent of a human fingerprint. I love how black and white reinforces that uniqueness, keenly displaying the distinctive spotting, as well as the subtle shading differences between each individual.”
12/45Henley Spiers’ entry, Constellation of Eagle Rays, taken in the Maldives.
He said: “A school of uniquely patterned spotted eagle rays passes beneath me on an unforgettable dive in the Maldives. Like most divers, I have always found these rays to be especially spellbinding, but also highly elusive! This school passed beneath me towards the end of our dive and it was one of those rare moments of huge admiration, as well as immense inspiration. I could visualise the image I wanted and, while the rays glided effortlessly, I swam my heart out trying to keep up and unlock the desired camera angle. The rays continued forward and deeper, giving me just a few moments to capture this frame. Scientists have just recently confirmed that the spotting on each ray is a unique identifier, the equivalent of a human fingerprint. I love how black and white reinforces that uniqueness, keenly displaying the distinctive spotting, as well as the subtle shading differences between each individual.”
Will Clark’s entry, Big Mouth, Small Prey, taken in Scotland.He said: “I still find it extraordinary that it is possible to snorkel alongside the world's second biggest shark just off the west coast of Scotland. Each summer these huge animals usually gather in large numbers in the waters around the Inner Hebrides archipelago. Basking sharks offer no threat to humans – their food is mostly animal plankton funnelled through their enormous mouths and strained through specialised gill structures. To photograph basking sharks, you must first spot one feeding, then get in the as quietly as you can, some distance away in its direction of travel. You watch for any change of direction as it approaches and move accordingly. When it gets nearby you have to lie quietly at the surface with your fins up, so as to resemble a floating log. Make one wrong move such as a splash then the shark closes its mouth and dives deep below you.”
13/45Will Clark’s entry, Big Mouth, Small Prey, taken in Scotland.
He said: “I still find it extraordinary that it is possible to snorkel alongside the world's second biggest shark just off the west coast of Scotland. Each summer these huge animals usually gather in large numbers in the waters around the Inner Hebrides archipelago. Basking sharks offer no threat to humans – their food is mostly animal plankton funnelled through their enormous mouths and strained through specialised gill structures. To photograph basking sharks, you must first spot one feeding, then get in the as quietly as you can, some distance away in its direction of travel. You watch for any change of direction as it approaches and move accordingly. When it gets nearby you have to lie quietly at the surface with your fins up, so as to resemble a floating log. Make one wrong move such as a splash then the shark closes its mouth and dives deep below you.”
Kirsty Andrews’ entry, Cone Home, taken in Scotland.She said: “It’s never nice to see discarded man-made items on the sea floor, but in this case, a common lobster (Homarus gammarus) was taking advantage of the situation. A traffic cone provided a handy vantage point to overlook the seabed as well as a large lobstersized shelter on an otherwise relatively flat landscape.”
14/45Kirsty Andrews’ entry, Cone Home, taken in Scotland.
She said: “It’s never nice to see discarded man-made items on the sea floor, but in this case, a common lobster (Homarus gammarus) was taking advantage of the situation. A traffic cone provided a handy vantage point to overlook the seabed as well as a large lobstersized shelter on an otherwise relatively flat landscape.”
Pasquale Vassallo’s entry, Octopus Training, taken in Italy.He said: “At the end of a session of free diving, I noticed a soccer ball, in the distance and on the surface. Intrigued I approached it, and then I noticed that below it was an octopus that was being pulled along by the current. I do not know what it was doing under the ball, but I think it is training for the next football World Cup! There was time for me to take a couple of shots before the octopus let go of the ball and dropped back to the seabed.”
15/45Pasquale Vassallo’s entry, Octopus Training, taken in Italy.
He said: “At the end of a session of free diving, I noticed a soccer ball, in the distance and on the surface. Intrigued I approached it, and then I noticed that below it was an octopus that was being pulled along by the current. I do not know what it was doing under the ball, but I think it is training for the next football World Cup! There was time for me to take a couple of shots before the octopus let go of the ball and dropped back to the seabed.”
Nadya Kulagina’s entry, The Cry for Help, taken in the Bahamas.She said: “As a person who loves water and spends quite a bit of time in it, it hurts me to see how disrespectfully we treat it. In our everyday life, we tend to forget the role of water in our lives, how much we depend on it and where the life on earth came from. The idea of $300 this shot was to bring people’s attention to the problem of plastic pollution. Action needs to be taken to raise people’s awareness of the problem. David Langlois, a professional model, agreed to pose for me for this shot. I think it is because of his love for the oceans that this image turned out so full of energy calling out to everyone that the fate of the oceans is in our hands, and that little steps pave the way to a healthier future. No plastic bags were left in the water after the photoshoot.”
16/45Nadya Kulagina’s entry, The Cry for Help, taken in the Bahamas.
She said: “As a person who loves water and spends quite a bit of time in it, it hurts me to see how disrespectfully we treat it. In our everyday life, we tend to forget the role of water in our lives, how much we depend on it and where the life on earth came from. The idea of $300 this shot was to bring people’s attention to the problem of plastic pollution. Action needs to be taken to raise people’s awareness of the problem. David Langlois, a professional model, agreed to pose for me for this shot. I think it is because of his love for the oceans that this image turned out so full of energy calling out to everyone that the fate of the oceans is in our hands, and that little steps pave the way to a healthier future. No plastic bags were left in the water after the photoshoot.”
Simon J Pierce’s entry, Net Loss, taken in Norway.Runde Island off Norway is a seasonal home to over half a million seabirds, including these northern gannets. The gannets normally build their nests from seaweed and rass floating on the ocean’s surface near the island. Increasingly, the seabirds are instead using discarded netting, ropes, and packaging straps from fisheries into their nests. This fishing waste is becoming more common than the natural materials they instinctively gather. A recent survey at Runde found that 97% of nests contained man-made debris. Newborn chicks, and even adult gannets, are routinely entangled and killed in these tough and onbiodegradeable materials. Reduced fishing pressure near nesting colonies has been shown to lead to fast and measurable declines in the number of affected nests, pointing to a range of potential solutions: reduce pollution from the fishing boats, minimise net fisheries in the local region, or create protected areas that allow the ecosystem to recover.”
17/45Simon J Pierce’s entry, Net Loss, taken in Norway.
Runde Island off Norway is a seasonal home to over half a million seabirds, including these northern gannets. The gannets normally build their nests from seaweed and rass floating on the ocean’s surface near the island. Increasingly, the seabirds are instead using discarded netting, ropes, and packaging straps from fisheries into their nests. This fishing waste is becoming more common than the natural materials they instinctively gather. A recent survey at Runde found that 97% of nests contained man-made debris. Newborn chicks, and even adult gannets, are routinely entangled and killed in these tough and onbiodegradeable materials. Reduced fishing pressure near nesting colonies has been shown to lead to fast and measurable declines in the number of affected nests, pointing to a range of potential solutions: reduce pollution from the fishing boats, minimise net fisheries in the local region, or create protected areas that allow the ecosystem to recover.”
Manbd’s entry, Uluna Lily, taken at Uluna Lake in Manado.He said: “Uluna Lake in North Sulawesi located 670m above sea level is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. When I got the opportunity to dive in this freshwater lake at the end of last year, I knew what I wanted to shoot. As I stayed at YOS Dive Lembeh Eco Resort, the journey to the lake took less than two hours. This crystal clear springs lake is famous for its water lilies which only bloom in the morning and blue sky gave a good contrast when shooting. Geared with a mini dome, I did my level best to shoot a split shot and staying very still to find the right angle and moment.”
18/45Manbd’s entry, Uluna Lily, taken at Uluna Lake in Manado.
He said: “Uluna Lake in North Sulawesi located 670m above sea level is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. When I got the opportunity to dive in this freshwater lake at the end of last year, I knew what I wanted to shoot. As I stayed at YOS Dive Lembeh Eco Resort, the journey to the lake took less than two hours. This crystal clear springs lake is famous for its water lilies which only bloom in the morning and blue sky gave a good contrast when shooting. Geared with a mini dome, I did my level best to shoot a split shot and staying very still to find the right angle and moment.”
Trevor Rees’ entry, Fireworks anemone sunburst, taken in the United Kingdom. He said: “This fireworks anemone (Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) was photographed at the head of Loch Dutch in Scotland at a depth of 15 meters. The water was dark and peat stained. It is a favourite subject that I have photographed many times before but this time I aimed for a different look and feel to the subject. I used the 28mm wide end of my zoom lens and positioned the anemone to the bottom right hand side of the frame. To complete the image I added a sunburst taken by shooting towards the surface on the same dive, this time using the 70mm end of the same zoom lens. It is a double exposure using in-camera image overlay. It is a somewhat surreal view of this subject as these anemones normally live quite a bit deeper and capturing a sunburst in the same frame is almost impossible. That’s creativity eh?”
19/45Trevor Rees’ entry, Fireworks anemone sunburst, taken in the United Kingdom.
He said: “This fireworks anemone (Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) was photographed at the head of Loch Dutch in Scotland at a depth of 15 meters. The water was dark and peat stained. It is a favourite subject that I have photographed many times before but this time I aimed for a different look and feel to the subject. I used the 28mm wide end of my zoom lens and positioned the anemone to the bottom right hand side of the frame. To complete the image I added a sunburst taken by shooting towards the surface on the same dive, this time using the 70mm end of the same zoom lens. It is a double exposure using in-camera image overlay. It is a somewhat surreal view of this subject as these anemones normally live quite a bit deeper and capturing a sunburst in the same frame is almost impossible. That’s creativity eh?”
Arthur Kingdon, Jewel Reef, taken in the United Kingdom. He said: “The Isles of Scilly offer underwater photographers some of the best opportunities for wide angle photography in the UK so I was determined to make the most of it when I visited for a week in September 2019. This image was shot at a site whose location is known only to the excellent skipper of Dive Scilly and it proved to be a stunning site with jewel anemones everywhere. This was the first dive of the week and it was my first dive with my new camera and housing. After a shot to check exposure and lighting, I took this one and it proved to be the best of the week! I was helped by some fine modelling by Paula who had opted to leave her camera behind on this dive. Her offer to model was very gratefully accepted.”
20/45Arthur Kingdon, Jewel Reef, taken in the United Kingdom.
He said: “The Isles of Scilly offer underwater photographers some of the best opportunities for wide angle photography in the UK so I was determined to make the most of it when I visited for a week in September 2019. This image was shot at a site whose location is known only to the excellent skipper of Dive Scilly and it proved to be a stunning site with jewel anemones everywhere. This was the first dive of the week and it was my first dive with my new camera and housing. After a shot to check exposure and lighting, I took this one and it proved to be the best of the week! I was helped by some fine modelling by Paula who had opted to leave her camera behind on this dive. Her offer to model was very gratefully accepted.”
Charlotte Sams’ entry, Great White Necropsy, taken in South Africa.She said: “A small great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) was found dead on the shores in South Africa. Reported by Lower Breede River Conservancy then recovered by Dyer Island Conservation Trust, this small, young shark was then analysed, along with the South African Shark Conservancy. This was taken during the necropsy where the scientists had to cut into the shark to examine all parts of it to try and determine the cause of death. They spent hours looking inside and at her organs but no definite cause of death was found on this day. Her body did not go to waste, as scientists make sure that by collecting samples, numerous studies and research projects can be supported. Though limited with my equipment I had on me, I documented this striking activity as best I could, focusing here on the head lying apart from the body.”
21/45Charlotte Sams’ entry, Great White Necropsy, taken in South Africa.
She said: “A small great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) was found dead on the shores in South Africa. Reported by Lower Breede River Conservancy then recovered by Dyer Island Conservation Trust, this small, young shark was then analysed, along with the South African Shark Conservancy. This was taken during the necropsy where the scientists had to cut into the shark to examine all parts of it to try and determine the cause of death. They spent hours looking inside and at her organs but no definite cause of death was found on this day. Her body did not go to waste, as scientists make sure that by collecting samples, numerous studies and research projects can be supported. Though limited with my equipment I had on me, I documented this striking activity as best I could, focusing here on the head lying apart from the body.”
Laura Storm’s entry, Like Water for Silk, taken in England.She said: “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been photographing British freshwater habitats underwater. One of the stories that has captivated me is that of the Common frog. During its lifetime it has an estimated 0.25 per cent chance of survival. It morphs like no other creature and along the way, experiences the most fantastic journey. This tiny Common froglet is less than 1cm in length. It is so weightless it can balance on single, silken stands of Spirogyra. These algae filaments, an abundant and vital first link in freshwater food webs, reproduce rapidly leading to thousands of individual strands. They are a simple life form which combine into a tangled labyrinth known as water silk. To highlight the water silk habitat, I used two off-camera lights strategically placed. One to help light the tiny froglet and the other to allow the tangle of algae strands to shine through.”
22/45Laura Storm’s entry, Like Water for Silk, taken in England.
She said: “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been photographing British freshwater habitats underwater. One of the stories that has captivated me is that of the Common frog. During its lifetime it has an estimated 0.25 per cent chance of survival. It morphs like no other creature and along the way, experiences the most fantastic journey. This tiny Common froglet is less than 1cm in length. It is so weightless it can balance on single, silken stands of Spirogyra. These algae filaments, an abundant and vital first link in freshwater food webs, reproduce rapidly leading to thousands of individual strands. They are a simple life form which combine into a tangled labyrinth known as water silk. To highlight the water silk habitat, I used two off-camera lights strategically placed. One to help light the tiny froglet and the other to allow the tangle of algae strands to shine through.”
Trevor Rees’ entry, Cuckoo wrasse head on, taken in the United Kingdom.He said: “Of all the fish in British Waters, a male cuckoo wrasse (Labrus mixture) takes some beating for its striking blue and orange colouration. They are therefore always a favourite subject and this one proved a cooperative individual. The Plymouth Mewstone on England’s south coast often guarantees seeing and getting close to these charismatic fish. I aimed for a straight head on composition with maximum symmetry. It took a few frames to get both eyes facing forwards and nicely in focus. Job done!”
23/45Trevor Rees’ entry, Cuckoo wrasse head on, taken in the United Kingdom.
He said: “Of all the fish in British Waters, a male cuckoo wrasse (Labrus mixture) takes some beating for its striking blue and orange colouration. They are therefore always a favourite subject and this one proved a cooperative individual. The Plymouth Mewstone on England’s south coast often guarantees seeing and getting close to these charismatic fish. I aimed for a straight head on composition with maximum symmetry. It took a few frames to get both eyes facing forwards and nicely in focus. Job done!”
Dan Bolt’s entry, Pier nursery, taken in the United Kingdom.He said: “This image shows how important man-made structures can be for marine life. Paignton Pier, in South Devon is no exception. The pier legs are home to many sponges, anemones and molluscs, while in the summer months many hundreds of juvenile fish use the structure as shelter from larger predators. Diving under the pier with the sun shining through the shallow water it can be hard to believe you’re in the UK!”
24/45Dan Bolt’s entry, Pier nursery, taken in the United Kingdom.
He said: “This image shows how important man-made structures can be for marine life. Paignton Pier, in South Devon is no exception. The pier legs are home to many sponges, anemones and molluscs, while in the summer months many hundreds of juvenile fish use the structure as shelter from larger predators. Diving under the pier with the sun shining through the shallow water it can be hard to believe you’re in the UK!”
Tobias Friedrich’s entry, SUB ZERO, taken in Greenland.He said: “During an expedition in East Greenland under the ice, one diver took his video lights with him to swim underneath the iceberg. The water was minus 2 degrees with outside winds up to minus 27 degree Celsius, in which we sometimes only could do one dive per day. The whole fjord was frozen with the icebergs frozen into the surface. We had to get our gear on a snowmobile and man-powered sledge every day to an iceberg we thought could be nice and made some holes around it. Only in the water could we see the real dimensions of the whole iceberg.”
25/45Tobias Friedrich’s entry, SUB ZERO, taken in Greenland.
He said: “During an expedition in East Greenland under the ice, one diver took his video lights with him to swim underneath the iceberg. The water was minus 2 degrees with outside winds up to minus 27 degree Celsius, in which we sometimes only could do one dive per day. The whole fjord was frozen with the icebergs frozen into the surface. We had to get our gear on a snowmobile and man-powered sledge every day to an iceberg we thought could be nice and made some holes around it. Only in the water could we see the real dimensions of the whole iceberg.”
Hannes Klostermann’s entry, Goby Goodness, taken at the Cayman Islands.He said: “During the dive that I took this image on I swam a grand total of about 30 metres. I dropped down from the surface and descended towards the shallow, pristine coral reef in the Cayman Islands when I spotted this little fella posing right at the top of a coral head. I noticed the purple sea fan in the background and suspected it would look pleasing with a shallow depth of field, a look I really like in macro photography. After I had taken the first image and reviewed it I knew I would spend the entire dive with this goby, as the complementary colours of the fan and coral head worked very well together. Thankfully, the goby really seemed to enjoy the prime spot at the top of the coral head so it kept coming back to have its picture taken, not minding my close approach one bit.”
26/45Hannes Klostermann’s entry, Goby Goodness, taken at the Cayman Islands.
He said: “During the dive that I took this image on I swam a grand total of about 30 metres. I dropped down from the surface and descended towards the shallow, pristine coral reef in the Cayman Islands when I spotted this little fella posing right at the top of a coral head. I noticed the purple sea fan in the background and suspected it would look pleasing with a shallow depth of field, a look I really like in macro photography. After I had taken the first image and reviewed it I knew I would spend the entire dive with this goby, as the complementary colours of the fan and coral head worked very well together. Thankfully, the goby really seemed to enjoy the prime spot at the top of the coral head so it kept coming back to have its picture taken, not minding my close approach one bit.”
Keigo Kawamura’s entry, Eyes, taken in Japan.He said: “The Unicorn shrimp usually inhabits around 200 to 300m deep, but they rise to about 40m due to breeding behaviour. There are thousands to tens of thousands of shrimps but there are only a few suitable places to shoot them. The direction and density of the tide may vary depending on the direction, strength, and brightness in the ocean. I went there many times because I could only stay for 15 minutes once a day. I was lucky to be able to find and shoot the ideal situation.”
27/45Keigo Kawamura’s entry, Eyes, taken in Japan.
He said: “The Unicorn shrimp usually inhabits around 200 to 300m deep, but they rise to about 40m due to breeding behaviour. There are thousands to tens of thousands of shrimps but there are only a few suitable places to shoot them. The direction and density of the tide may vary depending on the direction, strength, and brightness in the ocean. I went there many times because I could only stay for 15 minutes once a day. I was lucky to be able to find and shoot the ideal situation.”
Shannon Moran’s entry, Lucky Escape, taken in England.She said: “The popular dive site Silver Steps is located in Falmouth and is often covered in long strings of lobster pots. The shallow rocky reefs, kelp forests and sand flats are home to a wide variety of marine life. Over the course of the summer the pots seemed to edge closer to the reef until many of them lay on top of the rocky reef and only a few metres away from the shore. This particular spider crab had a lucky escape, I watched on as it clambered over the pot for a few moments before moving away towards the reef.”
28/45Shannon Moran’s entry, Lucky Escape, taken in England.
She said: “The popular dive site Silver Steps is located in Falmouth and is often covered in long strings of lobster pots. The shallow rocky reefs, kelp forests and sand flats are home to a wide variety of marine life. Over the course of the summer the pots seemed to edge closer to the reef until many of them lay on top of the rocky reef and only a few metres away from the shore. This particular spider crab had a lucky escape, I watched on as it clambered over the pot for a few moments before moving away towards the reef.”
James Lynott’s entry, Fluo fireworks anemone, taken in Scotland.“Over recent years underwater fluorescence photography has become a passion of mine, particularly in British waters, and I now find myself choosing my fluorescence gear over my 'normal'kit more often when diving. I never know quite what I’m going to find that will fluoresce under the blue (near UV) light but on this dive in Loch Fyne I had one target in mind and that was fireworks anemones. There were dozens of anemones at this site all with varying patterns on their tentacles which also translate to different fluorescence patterns when viewed under blue light. This particular anemone really stood out in the darkness as it’s fluorescence was so bright.”
29/45James Lynott’s entry, Fluo fireworks anemone, taken in Scotland.
“Over recent years underwater fluorescence photography has become a passion of mine, particularly in British waters, and I now find myself choosing my fluorescence gear over my 'normal'kit more often when diving. I never know quite what I’m going to find that will fluoresce under the blue (near UV) light but on this dive in Loch Fyne I had one target in mind and that was fireworks anemones. There were dozens of anemones at this site all with varying patterns on their tentacles which also translate to different fluorescence patterns when viewed under blue light. This particular anemone really stood out in the darkness as it’s fluorescence was so bright.”
Martin Edser’s entry, All in good claws!, taken in the United Kingdom.He said: “The many shipwrecks in the English Channel give wonderful opportunities for British marine life to seek shelter and thrive. It’s amazing that these scenes of once destruction now provide a foundation for new life. As a regular UK diver and underwater photographer I find them fascinating areas to find and photograph marine life. The conditions can be challenging, but for me this adds to the fun and sense of achievement. This ‘common’ lobster was photographed on one of the biggest wrecks off the Sussex Coast – the wreck of the Alaunia. This specimen was in prime condition and clearly telling me with its impressive claws that this spot was taken! Getting low and close with a wide-angle lens gave me the opportunity to capture the striking pose and detail of these fascinating creatures from prehistory.”
30/45Martin Edser’s entry, All in good claws!, taken in the United Kingdom.
He said: “The many shipwrecks in the English Channel give wonderful opportunities for British marine life to seek shelter and thrive. It’s amazing that these scenes of once destruction now provide a foundation for new life. As a regular UK diver and underwater photographer I find them fascinating areas to find and photograph marine life. The conditions can be challenging, but for me this adds to the fun and sense of achievement. This ‘common’ lobster was photographed on one of the biggest wrecks off the Sussex Coast – the wreck of the Alaunia. This specimen was in prime condition and clearly telling me with its impressive claws that this spot was taken! Getting low and close with a wide-angle lens gave me the opportunity to capture the striking pose and detail of these fascinating creatures from prehistory.”
Colin Garrett’s entry, Smile, taken in the United Kingdom.“Early in April 2019, sightings of a lone male Bottlenose Dolphin had started to be reported in and around Portland Harbour. I had been out on a local wreck dive with Dale Spree and Jessica Hannah and had had a strange feeling beforehand that the chances of meeting him were quite high. The dive itself came and went with no sighting. But fortune was to be on our side, for on our return across the harbour Dale spotted the distinctive dorsal fin. As the animal approached us, Jessica and I slipped in with just snorkelling equipment and waited, hoping … It turned out he wasn’t nervous in the slightest and swam straight to the camera. I cannot recall who’s smile was the largest. His or mine?”
31/45Colin Garrett’s entry, Smile, taken in the United Kingdom.
“Early in April 2019, sightings of a lone male Bottlenose Dolphin had started to be reported in and around Portland Harbour. I had been out on a local wreck dive with Dale Spree and Jessica Hannah and had had a strange feeling beforehand that the chances of meeting him were quite high. The dive itself came and went with no sighting. But fortune was to be on our side, for on our return across the harbour Dale spotted the distinctive dorsal fin. As the animal approached us, Jessica and I slipped in with just snorkelling equipment and waited, hoping … It turned out he wasn’t nervous in the slightest and swam straight to the camera. I cannot recall who’s smile was the largest. His or mine?”
David Alpert’s entry, Double Trouble with a Glimmer of Hope, taken in Hong Kong.He said: “In this double exposure, the base picture is from Hong Kong’s dry food market – a prominent outlet for shark fins. Overlaid is a blacktip reef shark in Misool – a former shark finning station. Through a private initiative, this once devastated marine ecosystem turned into a poster child for marine conservation. Owing to sensitivities, the HK shot needed to be speedy and discrete. No time to change settings or compose. Misool was the opposite. The skittish blacktips avoid divers. No bait was used and I waited almost an entire dive to get this picture. The juxtaposition of the starkly contrasting scenarios highlights the need for urgent action to address trade in exotic marine foods and increase the number of marine protected areas before it’s too late.”
32/45David Alpert’s entry, Double Trouble with a Glimmer of Hope, taken in Hong Kong.
He said: “In this double exposure, the base picture is from Hong Kong’s dry food market – a prominent outlet for shark fins. Overlaid is a blacktip reef shark in Misool – a former shark finning station. Through a private initiative, this once devastated marine ecosystem turned into a poster child for marine conservation. Owing to sensitivities, the HK shot needed to be speedy and discrete. No time to change settings or compose. Misool was the opposite. The skittish blacktips avoid divers. No bait was used and I waited almost an entire dive to get this picture. The juxtaposition of the starkly contrasting scenarios highlights the need for urgent action to address trade in exotic marine foods and increase the number of marine protected areas before it’s too late.”
Filippo Borghi’s entry, the birth, taken in Italy.He said: “This photo portrays an incredible moment – the birth of a Mediterranean catshark. To try to make this shot I spent over a month visiting the same egg again and again, waiting for the right day for hatching. Only with patience, passion and willingness can you capture certain shots, which makes them special to take.”
33/45Filippo Borghi’s entry, the birth, taken in Italy.
He said: “This photo portrays an incredible moment – the birth of a Mediterranean catshark. To try to make this shot I spent over a month visiting the same egg again and again, waiting for the right day for hatching. Only with patience, passion and willingness can you capture certain shots, which makes them special to take.”
Tobias Friedrich’s entry, The Engine, taken in Egypt. He said: “Panoramic image of the engine room of the Chrisoula K. with six video lights placed behind the engines. I went there on several trips with a liveaboard, being able to check out the possibilities of creating some different lighting in the wrecks. But usually the boats do only 1-2 dives per wreck, so I had to be quick in decisions. The space between the engine inside the wreck is very narrow and the angle for a single photo was just not enough, so I thought it was the best idea to create a panoramic image to display the machine room in one shot. Placing the lights took some time as well to find the right mix of ambience and light from the outside. Because the wreck is dived a lot in the Red Sea I had to wait for a good slot when nobody was inside it.”
34/45Tobias Friedrich’s entry, The Engine, taken in Egypt.
He said: “Panoramic image of the engine room of the Chrisoula K. with six video lights placed behind the engines. I went there on several trips with a liveaboard, being able to check out the possibilities of creating some different lighting in the wrecks. But usually the boats do only 1-2 dives per wreck, so I had to be quick in decisions. The space between the engine inside the wreck is very narrow and the angle for a single photo was just not enough, so I thought it was the best idea to create a panoramic image to display the machine room in one shot. Placing the lights took some time as well to find the right mix of ambience and light from the outside. Because the wreck is dived a lot in the Red Sea I had to wait for a good slot when nobody was inside it.”
Pier Mane’s entry, Dead steel resurrection, taken in Mauritius.He said: “The lively deck of the Kt Mawar becomes a nursery for several species among which are yellow juvenile snappers and silverbacks. The fishes find the metal frame and its interior hull a refuge from the surrounding predators circulating in mid water. The large trawler now finds its new purpose, transforming from a deadly fishing instrument and dead-steel grave into a lively underwater reef – remote lighting on the bridge and the central deck depicts its resurrection.”
35/45Pier Mane’s entry, Dead steel resurrection, taken in Mauritius.
He said: “The lively deck of the Kt Mawar becomes a nursery for several species among which are yellow juvenile snappers and silverbacks. The fishes find the metal frame and its interior hull a refuge from the surrounding predators circulating in mid water. The large trawler now finds its new purpose, transforming from a deadly fishing instrument and dead-steel grave into a lively underwater reef – remote lighting on the bridge and the central deck depicts its resurrection.”
Kim André Sund’s entry, Cormorant caught in a net, taken in Norway.She said: “while on a wreck dive on the “Øygard” outside of Ålesund (Norway) I found a fishing net stuck at the aft with a lot of dead fish and crabs. When ascending to the upper deck, I found the cormorant dead in the net. It is a common problem that fishermen place their nets on the wrecks and the net gets stuck. After the picture was taken, Norwegian media got interested and it all ended up with the Norwegian coast guard cleaning up the net a few weeks later.”
36/45Kim André Sund’s entry, Cormorant caught in a net, taken in Norway.
She said: “while on a wreck dive on the “Øygard” outside of Ålesund (Norway) I found a fishing net stuck at the aft with a lot of dead fish and crabs. When ascending to the upper deck, I found the cormorant dead in the net. It is a common problem that fishermen place their nets on the wrecks and the net gets stuck. After the picture was taken, Norwegian media got interested and it all ended up with the Norwegian coast guard cleaning up the net a few weeks later.”
Pasquale Vassallo’s entry, Last Dawn, Last Gasp, taken in Italy.He said: “This winter, I went diving with some local fishermen. At 6 in the morning I was already in the water, as the nets were raised at first light. During the dive I followed the path of the fishing nets from the bottom to the surface. As the fishermen quickly hauled on the nets, I tried to take some shots of trapped fish still suffering in the mesh, such as this tuna (Euthynnus alletteratus).”
37/45Pasquale Vassallo’s entry, Last Dawn, Last Gasp, taken in Italy.
He said: “This winter, I went diving with some local fishermen. At 6 in the morning I was already in the water, as the nets were raised at first light. During the dive I followed the path of the fishing nets from the bottom to the surface. As the fishermen quickly hauled on the nets, I tried to take some shots of trapped fish still suffering in the mesh, such as this tuna (Euthynnus alletteratus).”
Nur Tucker’s entry, Commotion in the Ocean, taken in the Philippines.She said: “This image shows my very favourite of the species, the thorny sea horse. Over time, I have tried many different techniques, with varying degrees of success, including backlighting, side lighting, snooting, panning, double exposure and silhouette shots. I love experimenting even if this comes at the expense of a wasted dive. On this particular dive, in Dumaguete (Philippines), I was keen to aim for something different and potentially offbeat. I began with a panning shot of the sea horse, captured with a 1/4 second shutter speed and a small, f/25 aperture. Then, I used the same settings to capture a panning shot of a shiny scouring pad, carried in my pocket. Both images were merged, in-camera, for the resulting double exposure shot. I must have repeated this sequence 50 times before eventually achieving this one when he made eye contact, which pleased me.”
38/45Nur Tucker’s entry, Commotion in the Ocean, taken in the Philippines.
She said: “This image shows my very favourite of the species, the thorny sea horse. Over time, I have tried many different techniques, with varying degrees of success, including backlighting, side lighting, snooting, panning, double exposure and silhouette shots. I love experimenting even if this comes at the expense of a wasted dive. On this particular dive, in Dumaguete (Philippines), I was keen to aim for something different and potentially offbeat. I began with a panning shot of the sea horse, captured with a 1/4 second shutter speed and a small, f/25 aperture. Then, I used the same settings to capture a panning shot of a shiny scouring pad, carried in my pocket. Both images were merged, in-camera, for the resulting double exposure shot. I must have repeated this sequence 50 times before eventually achieving this one when he made eye contact, which pleased me.”
Enrico Somogyi’s entry, Squid in Disco Fever, taken in the Philippines.He said: “Here I tried a slow shutter speed picture of a reef squid at night. I used a flash with a snoot to freeze the motion and then for the colours I used two-colored lights on the left and the right side of the port. After pressing the trigger I intentionally moved the camera to create the patterns. I was happy with the result.”
39/45Enrico Somogyi’s entry, Squid in Disco Fever, taken in the Philippines.
He said: “Here I tried a slow shutter speed picture of a reef squid at night. I used a flash with a snoot to freeze the motion and then for the colours I used two-colored lights on the left and the right side of the port. After pressing the trigger I intentionally moved the camera to create the patterns. I was happy with the result.”
Enrico Somogyi’s entry, Jellyfish from Palau, taken in Palau.He said: “For some years the Jellyfish lake was closed. Now it has been reopened. I tried a split shot for this beautiful creature. The flash was positioned close to the port and I used a fixed focus, because the autofocus from compact cameras is too slow. I used a small domeport with around 12cm diameter. It was not easy to handle. But in the end I captured it.”
40/45Enrico Somogyi’s entry, Jellyfish from Palau, taken in Palau.
He said: “For some years the Jellyfish lake was closed. Now it has been reopened. I tried a split shot for this beautiful creature. The flash was positioned close to the port and I used a fixed focus, because the autofocus from compact cameras is too slow. I used a small domeport with around 12cm diameter. It was not easy to handle. But in the end I captured it.”
Dan Bolt’s entry, Elegant Elegans, taken in the United Kingdom. “This gorgeous Okenia elegans nudibranch is considered to be a rare species in the UK, but can be quite common around Torbay in south Devon. I came across this one crawling along the edge of a kelp frond which gave me the perfect opportunity to find angle that best shows off their outlandish colours.”
41/45Dan Bolt’s entry, Elegant Elegans, taken in the United Kingdom.
“This gorgeous Okenia elegans nudibranch is considered to be a rare species in the UK, but can be quite common around Torbay in south Devon. I came across this one crawling along the edge of a kelp frond which gave me the perfect opportunity to find angle that best shows off their outlandish colours.”
Jack Israel’s entry, Favorinus Pigging Out, taken in Bali.He said: “This was my 3rd trip to Tulamben. I noticed several large egg ribbons on rocks at about 15 meters, and on this day, three hungry favorinus munched away. The rocks forced me to take a landscape image, but I imagined the composition as a portrait and hoped it would turn out.”
42/45Jack Israel’s entry, Favorinus Pigging Out, taken in Bali.
He said: “This was my 3rd trip to Tulamben. I noticed several large egg ribbons on rocks at about 15 meters, and on this day, three hungry favorinus munched away. The rocks forced me to take a landscape image, but I imagined the composition as a portrait and hoped it would turn out.”
Rooman Luc’s entry, Angry seahorse, taken in the Netherlands.He said: “In June I heard that there was a seahorse at a certain dive site in the Eastern Scheldt, at a depth of 12m. From then on, I went looking for the seahorse every week, and eventually found it in August. It was posing so nicely around a pipe that I had ample time to photograph it with the snoot. This gives the seahorse an angry look, but that is fortunately a mere appearance.”
43/45Rooman Luc’s entry, Angry seahorse, taken in the Netherlands.
He said: “In June I heard that there was a seahorse at a certain dive site in the Eastern Scheldt, at a depth of 12m. From then on, I went looking for the seahorse every week, and eventually found it in August. It was posing so nicely around a pipe that I had ample time to photograph it with the snoot. This gives the seahorse an angry look, but that is fortunately a mere appearance.”
Lilian Koh’s entry, Butterfly Effect, taken in Bali. She said: “Having been immersed mostly in creative macro, this is the first time I have used a snoot technique on a larger scale. Maintaining a shallow depth to capture the reflection, the snoot is used to bring focus to the model while the blue light catches the flowing veil that frames around her creating a butterfly effect.”
44/45Lilian Koh’s entry, Butterfly Effect, taken in Bali.
She said: “Having been immersed mostly in creative macro, this is the first time I have used a snoot technique on a larger scale. Maintaining a shallow depth to capture the reflection, the snoot is used to bring focus to the model while the blue light catches the flowing veil that frames around her creating a butterfly effect.”
Nicholas More’s entry, Rabbit Fish Zoom Blur, taken in Indonesia.He said: “I have been taking motion blur pictures for a few years now. I like how the technique adds dynamism to pictures. The picture was taken in Raja Ampat, Indonesia in November 2019 and I spent the morning taking fish portrait images. I came across a school of very friendly Rabbit fish under a jetty and took lots of schooling shots. I started using the extensive zoom range of my Sigma 17-70 combined with a slow shutter speed to create zoom blur images. The picture came together when the school bunched tightly together in a vertical tower with them all facing onto the camera. I hit the shutter and zoomed in at the same time, the flash freezing the central fish with the ambient light creating a Pop-Art like effect.”
45/45Nicholas More’s entry, Rabbit Fish Zoom Blur, taken in Indonesia.
He said: “I have been taking motion blur pictures for a few years now. I like how the technique adds dynamism to pictures. The picture was taken in Raja Ampat, Indonesia in November 2019 and I spent the morning taking fish portrait images. I came across a school of very friendly Rabbit fish under a jetty and took lots of schooling shots. I started using the extensive zoom range of my Sigma 17-70 combined with a slow shutter speed to create zoom blur images. The picture came together when the school bunched tightly together in a vertical tower with them all facing onto the camera. I hit the shutter and zoomed in at the same time, the flash freezing the central fish with the ambient light creating a Pop-Art like effect.”
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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/captivating-entries-into-underwater-photographer-of-the-year-2020-competition/image-gallery/db8429c8fb3f913adf0942fa994928aa