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British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017... Out of the Blue. Kukulkan Cenote on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula forms part of the Chac Mool system and is noted for the spectacular light effects as the sun penetrates the darkness. I left my strobes behind for the natural light shot I wanted and positioned myself in the shadows of the cavern. Moving my eye around the viewfinder, I could see that the rock outline of the cavern around me made for a pleasing symmetry and I adjusted my position to balance the frame. The light show flickered on and off as the sun was periodically covered by cloud and as it reappeared, I beckoned to my buddy and dive guide, Andrea Costanza of ProDive, to edge into the illumination of some of the stronger beams, completing the composition. My journey from diver to underwater photographer has brought many amazing photographic opportunities and I feel humbled and privileged that this image has achieved such recognition. Picture: Nick Blake/Nick Blake/UPY 2017
1/22British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017... Out of the Blue. Kukulkan Cenote on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula forms part of the Chac Mool system and is noted for the spectacular light effects as the sun penetrates the darkness. I left my strobes behind for the natural light shot I wanted and positioned myself in the shadows of the cavern. Moving my eye around the viewfinder, I could see that the rock outline of the cavern around me made for a pleasing symmetry and I adjusted my position to balance the frame. The light show flickered on and off as the sun was periodically covered by cloud and as it reappeared, I beckoned to my buddy and dive guide, Andrea Costanza of ProDive, to edge into the illumination of some of the stronger beams, completing the composition. My journey from diver to underwater photographer has brought many amazing photographic opportunities and I feel humbled and privileged that this image has achieved such recognition. Picture: Nick Blake/Nick Blake/UPY 2017
Highly commended, Category 1 ... Wide Angle. Morning Elegance, When I reached the seabed, I was hoping to see some of the superstructure of this shipwreck. It was impossible to identify the cargo holds, the hull, the rigging and netting of this fishing vessel because it was literally covered by thousands of fish of numerous species swimming and dancing between the rusted metal parts and sandy patches. As they kept playing nicely in front of me, I waited patiently for the current to push their beautiful dance in front of my camera. The elegance of this constantly moving form inspired this image. Picture: Damien Mauric/UK/UPY 2017
2/22Highly commended, Category 1 ... Wide Angle. Morning Elegance, When I reached the seabed, I was hoping to see some of the superstructure of this shipwreck. It was impossible to identify the cargo holds, the hull, the rigging and netting of this fishing vessel because it was literally covered by thousands of fish of numerous species swimming and dancing between the rusted metal parts and sandy patches. As they kept playing nicely in front of me, I waited patiently for the current to push their beautiful dance in front of my camera. The elegance of this constantly moving form inspired this image. Picture: Damien Mauric/UK/UPY 2017
Third category 1... Wide angle Interaction. I was lucky to join an expedition aboard MV ONDINA covering Raja Ampat North, Central & South. The South is one of my favourite places because only few boats go there. We went to dive to the sea mount ‘Karang Paradise’ where the biodiversity is something unique; endless coral fields, large congregations of fish and big pelagic travellers passing by. At the end of one of the dives, I found this enormous coral field full of different groups of fish. I wanted to show in my pictures the motion (I’ve taking motion pictures with very slow shutter speed for long time), so I set up my camera on top of a rock (I didn’t have my tripod), then after few minutes completey still, this big congregation of big eye jacks came and complete surround me. A magic moment! Picture: Edwar Herreño/Colombia/UPY 2017
3/22Third category 1... Wide angle Interaction. I was lucky to join an expedition aboard MV ONDINA covering Raja Ampat North, Central & South. The South is one of my favourite places because only few boats go there. We went to dive to the sea mount ‘Karang Paradise’ where the biodiversity is something unique; endless coral fields, large congregations of fish and big pelagic travellers passing by. At the end of one of the dives, I found this enormous coral field full of different groups of fish. I wanted to show in my pictures the motion (I’ve taking motion pictures with very slow shutter speed for long time), so I set up my camera on top of a rock (I didn’t have my tripod), then after few minutes completey still, this big congregation of big eye jacks came and complete surround me. A magic moment! Picture: Edwar Herreño/Colombia/UPY 2017
Highly commended Category1... Wide Angle. Prince of the Waters. The common toads start going back to the river in February in order to reproduce. The frozen waters of this small river are by then clear enough, and ideal for underwater photography. This image was taken in natural lights and apnea. I chose to work on blacklights to value this iconic species from fresh water. The wide angle lens and close-up shot adds an interesting dynamic to the picture as well. The challenge was to progress under the subject and to get a shot once the subject was aligned with the sun all while ensuring a framing including the trees on the shore. Picture: Yannick Gouguenheim/France/UPY 2017
4/22Highly commended Category1... Wide Angle. Prince of the Waters. The common toads start going back to the river in February in order to reproduce. The frozen waters of this small river are by then clear enough, and ideal for underwater photography. This image was taken in natural lights and apnea. I chose to work on blacklights to value this iconic species from fresh water. The wide angle lens and close-up shot adds an interesting dynamic to the picture as well. The challenge was to progress under the subject and to get a shot once the subject was aligned with the sun all while ensuring a framing including the trees on the shore. Picture: Yannick Gouguenheim/France/UPY 2017
Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017... Dancing Octopus. In the lagoon of Mayotte, during spring low tides, there is very little water on the flats. Only 30 cm in fact. That’s when I took this picture. I had to get as close as possible to the dome to create this effect. The 14 mm is an ultra wide angle lens with very good close focus which gives this effect of great size. The octopus appears larger, and the height of water also. Also, I didn’t need flash because I had lots of natural light. Picture: Gabriel Barathieu/France/UPY 2017
5/22Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017... Dancing Octopus. In the lagoon of Mayotte, during spring low tides, there is very little water on the flats. Only 30 cm in fact. That’s when I took this picture. I had to get as close as possible to the dome to create this effect. The 14 mm is an ultra wide angle lens with very good close focus which gives this effect of great size. The octopus appears larger, and the height of water also. Also, I didn’t need flash because I had lots of natural light. Picture: Gabriel Barathieu/France/UPY 2017
Commended category 1... Wide angle. Silversides at Twilight. After finding this location, the jetty and silversides were on my mind for a long time. And when the monsoon rains took a short break, I jumped in the water to execute this idea. The main obstacle was that the school was too evasive for a fisheye lens and the sun was falling too fast to execute the idea. I began to compromise my settings and already considered the endeavour a loss but then some trevally arrived to feed. This was perfect, the silversides forgot about me. Simultaneously a passerby arrived. He positioned himself perfectly on the jetty above. Seeing the opportunity, I told him not to move and pressed the shutter as quickly as possible. The next moment this image appeared on my screen. Moments later, with a smile on my face, I watched the last rays of light fade on the horizon. Picture: Tony Myshlyaev/Canada/UPY 2017
6/22Commended category 1... Wide angle. Silversides at Twilight. After finding this location, the jetty and silversides were on my mind for a long time. And when the monsoon rains took a short break, I jumped in the water to execute this idea. The main obstacle was that the school was too evasive for a fisheye lens and the sun was falling too fast to execute the idea. I began to compromise my settings and already considered the endeavour a loss but then some trevally arrived to feed. This was perfect, the silversides forgot about me. Simultaneously a passerby arrived. He positioned himself perfectly on the jetty above. Seeing the opportunity, I told him not to move and pressed the shutter as quickly as possible. The next moment this image appeared on my screen. Moments later, with a smile on my face, I watched the last rays of light fade on the horizon. Picture: Tony Myshlyaev/Canada/UPY 2017
Highly recommended category 2... Macro. Backlight Shrimp. Shrimps are challenging subjects to photograph; we have to portray their beautiful colors and shape, and especially focus on the eyes. In the late afternoon, I was diving in my favourite dive site in Bonaire called “Something special” when I saw this shrimp underneath the rock in a perfect position to make a backlighting technique, using continuous lighting. Immediately I turned off my strobes and asked my buddy to put the lighting behind the shrimp, he was very good putting the light exactly where I wanted it. I took only 4 pictures and then the shrimp vanished. It is important to know your techniques and when to use them, it is the key to making those special pictures with something more than the norm. Picture: Fábio Freitas/Brazil/UPY 2017
7/22Highly recommended category 2... Macro. Backlight Shrimp. Shrimps are challenging subjects to photograph; we have to portray their beautiful colors and shape, and especially focus on the eyes. In the late afternoon, I was diving in my favourite dive site in Bonaire called “Something special” when I saw this shrimp underneath the rock in a perfect position to make a backlighting technique, using continuous lighting. Immediately I turned off my strobes and asked my buddy to put the lighting behind the shrimp, he was very good putting the light exactly where I wanted it. I took only 4 pictures and then the shrimp vanished. It is important to know your techniques and when to use them, it is the key to making those special pictures with something more than the norm. Picture: Fábio Freitas/Brazil/UPY 2017
Commended category 2... Macro. Larval lionfish. This image was taken on a black water drift dive in Palm Beach, Florida to look for alien looking pelagic animals, plankton and the larval stages of many creatures that drift out in the open ocean in their early stages of development. Many of the animals seen during black water dives are very small and can move quickly when illuminated by powerful dive lights, so getting a nice image is, not only challenging but, very rewarding as well. On one particular dive I was very fortunate to come across this rare tiny Lionfish in its early larval stage and was fortunate to get a photograph of it just as it flared it’s beautiful fins for the camera. Picture: Steven Kovacs/USA/UPY 2017
8/22Commended category 2... Macro. Larval lionfish. This image was taken on a black water drift dive in Palm Beach, Florida to look for alien looking pelagic animals, plankton and the larval stages of many creatures that drift out in the open ocean in their early stages of development. Many of the animals seen during black water dives are very small and can move quickly when illuminated by powerful dive lights, so getting a nice image is, not only challenging but, very rewarding as well. On one particular dive I was very fortunate to come across this rare tiny Lionfish in its early larval stage and was fortunate to get a photograph of it just as it flared it’s beautiful fins for the camera. Picture: Steven Kovacs/USA/UPY 2017
Winner category 2... Macro. Prey? This photo was shot during a blackwater dive in Anilao. Even though the larvae mantis shrimp (left) is very small, it still a predator which uses its raptorial appendages to hunt. Has it spotted the prey and is ready to pounce? Picture: So Yat Wai/Hong Kong/UPY 2017
9/22Winner category 2... Macro. Prey? This photo was shot during a blackwater dive in Anilao. Even though the larvae mantis shrimp (left) is very small, it still a predator which uses its raptorial appendages to hunt. Has it spotted the prey and is ready to pounce? Picture: So Yat Wai/Hong Kong/UPY 2017
Highly commended category 3... Wrecks. Capturing history. An underwater photographer lines up a shot of the conning tower of the wreck of the U-352 off the coast of North Carolina, USA. During WWII, German U-boats patrolled the waters just off the east coast of the U.S. In May 1942 the U-352 fired upon the USCGC Icarus but missed. The Icarus retaliated, and sunk the U-352 in 120ft of water 26 miles southeast of Beaufort Inlet. During this particular dive the visibility was especially good, so my goal was to capture wide angle images with as much of the wreck in the frame as I could get. As I was lining up the shot, a fellow photographer was focusing on the conning tower, so I decided to include him in the image to give a sense of scale to the wreck. Picture: Tanya Houppermans/USA/UPY 2017
10/22Highly commended category 3... Wrecks. Capturing history. An underwater photographer lines up a shot of the conning tower of the wreck of the U-352 off the coast of North Carolina, USA. During WWII, German U-boats patrolled the waters just off the east coast of the U.S. In May 1942 the U-352 fired upon the USCGC Icarus but missed. The Icarus retaliated, and sunk the U-352 in 120ft of water 26 miles southeast of Beaufort Inlet. During this particular dive the visibility was especially good, so my goal was to capture wide angle images with as much of the wreck in the frame as I could get. As I was lining up the shot, a fellow photographer was focusing on the conning tower, so I decided to include him in the image to give a sense of scale to the wreck. Picture: Tanya Houppermans/USA/UPY 2017
Commended category 2... Macro. Clownfish Swirl. Towards the end of the dive I suddenly saw a nice Anemone with clownfish. After some minutes the clownfish to have studied I saw that this clownfish is the same button swam in the Anemone, I focused on the clownfish and so I have to take several pictures through the aluminium tube that mounted on my port was so that I have obtained a round mirror effect. Picture: Luc Rooman/Belgium/UPY 2017
11/22Commended category 2... Macro. Clownfish Swirl. Towards the end of the dive I suddenly saw a nice Anemone with clownfish. After some minutes the clownfish to have studied I saw that this clownfish is the same button swam in the Anemone, I focused on the clownfish and so I have to take several pictures through the aluminium tube that mounted on my port was so that I have obtained a round mirror effect. Picture: Luc Rooman/Belgium/UPY 2017
Highly commended category 4... Behaviour. Views at dawn. Over the past few months, my photographic work has focused primarily on the large presence of species of jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo, in the Gulf of Naples. In this picture a couple of crabs, Liocarcinus vernalis species, are its tenants. When the jellyfish rub the sandy seabed, the crabs jump on it and get carried to different areas. Picture: Pasquale Vassallo/Italy/UPY 2017
12/22Highly commended category 4... Behaviour. Views at dawn. Over the past few months, my photographic work has focused primarily on the large presence of species of jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo, in the Gulf of Naples. In this picture a couple of crabs, Liocarcinus vernalis species, are its tenants. When the jellyfish rub the sandy seabed, the crabs jump on it and get carried to different areas. Picture: Pasquale Vassallo/Italy/UPY 2017
Commended Category 4.. Behaviour. Toads mating. For several years we have been following toads mating in the fresh water lake of Turnhout (Belgium) usually in the months of March or April if the weather conditions are 8°C and with humid weather. The toads are in the shallow areas of the lake where we can take photos with natural light while snorkeling. Picture: Luc Rooman /Belgium/UPY 2017
13/22Commended Category 4.. Behaviour. Toads mating. For several years we have been following toads mating in the fresh water lake of Turnhout (Belgium) usually in the months of March or April if the weather conditions are 8°C and with humid weather. The toads are in the shallow areas of the lake where we can take photos with natural light while snorkeling. Picture: Luc Rooman /Belgium/UPY 2017
Highly Commended Category 7... Up and Coming. Tiger Beach. Fed up with getting fleeting glances of sharks and then seeing them disappear into the depths I decided to take a trip to Tiger beach in order to get up close to these magnificent creatures. I wasn’t disappointed . I tried to capture as much of the experience as I could in one shot so positioned myself behind some coral with the boat on the surface. It was then a case of waiting for the Sharks to swim over with the added bonus of a diver descending from the boat as well. Picture: Dave Baker/UK/UPY 2017
14/22Highly Commended Category 7... Up and Coming. Tiger Beach. Fed up with getting fleeting glances of sharks and then seeing them disappear into the depths I decided to take a trip to Tiger beach in order to get up close to these magnificent creatures. I wasn’t disappointed . I tried to capture as much of the experience as I could in one shot so positioned myself behind some coral with the boat on the surface. It was then a case of waiting for the Sharks to swim over with the added bonus of a diver descending from the boat as well. Picture: Dave Baker/UK/UPY 2017
Commended Category 5... Portrait. Sealion playing with starfish. In Los Islotes there is one of the most important Sealion kindergartens in Mexico. I went there looking for pictures of sea lions eating on the big sardine banks. I was not lucky, because there were no sardines, but I found many interesting things, such as the one I show in this photo, a juvenile sea lion playing with starfish. I was surprised to see the stars passing each other or even as they approached the camera with them in the mouth, to leave them and then to catch them again.My intention was to capture the moment when sea lions caught a star with their mouths, to capture a dynamic image. I spent about four hours in the water, I came and went to the area where there were more juveniles, until finally getting closer and little by little and with respect I was able to capture this photo. Picture: Francis Pérez/Spain/UPY 2017
15/22Commended Category 5... Portrait. Sealion playing with starfish. In Los Islotes there is one of the most important Sealion kindergartens in Mexico. I went there looking for pictures of sea lions eating on the big sardine banks. I was not lucky, because there were no sardines, but I found many interesting things, such as the one I show in this photo, a juvenile sea lion playing with starfish. I was surprised to see the stars passing each other or even as they approached the camera with them in the mouth, to leave them and then to catch them again.My intention was to capture the moment when sea lions caught a star with their mouths, to capture a dynamic image. I spent about four hours in the water, I came and went to the area where there were more juveniles, until finally getting closer and little by little and with respect I was able to capture this photo. Picture: Francis Pérez/Spain/UPY 2017
Commended Category 8... British Waters Wide Angle. Can I help you? Last November when we visited the largest colony of grey seals in UK, the super moon caused huge tidal changes, some nasty currents and bad visibility. But being in the water with these curious creatures is a joy even if you can only see them when you turn around at the surface and they look at you, all big eyes, before they disappear again in the cloud of murkiness. We stayed in the water as long as the tides allowed us, changed locations a few times and when we were dropped very close to some rocks without kelp beds around, the sun came out and improved the visibility greatly. As if the seals knew this would be their chance on a nice portrait, they came really close, I added some Sola light to the ambient light to be able to dial down my settings a bit and catch the low sun rays lighting the whiskers from both sides! Picture: Ellen Cuylaerts/Cayman Islands/UPY 2017
16/22Commended Category 8... British Waters Wide Angle. Can I help you? Last November when we visited the largest colony of grey seals in UK, the super moon caused huge tidal changes, some nasty currents and bad visibility. But being in the water with these curious creatures is a joy even if you can only see them when you turn around at the surface and they look at you, all big eyes, before they disappear again in the cloud of murkiness. We stayed in the water as long as the tides allowed us, changed locations a few times and when we were dropped very close to some rocks without kelp beds around, the sun came out and improved the visibility greatly. As if the seals knew this would be their chance on a nice portrait, they came really close, I added some Sola light to the ambient light to be able to dial down my settings a bit and catch the low sun rays lighting the whiskers from both sides! Picture: Ellen Cuylaerts/Cayman Islands/UPY 2017
Highly commended category 4... Behaviour. The Contenders. We actually went to Bahia Magdalena to photograph blue and mako sharks offshore. We had no baiting success that morning so on the way back we stopped by a small beach where fisherman land their catch. As we arrived we could see tens of pelicans flocking around a fishing boat for scraps from the nets. So we started throwing our leftover bait in small scraps as fisherman regularly do and quickly had crazy pelican action around our boat. Hanging by the side we were able to shoot them going for the fish with fully extended pouches and contending with each other. The photo opportunities were great so we decided to convert the next day of shark attempts to more pelican shooting. Building on the first day experience, the next day we oriented the boat for better light and played with split levels to try to catch the lively action both above and below the water. Picture: Simone Caprodossi/United Arab Emirates/UPY 2017
17/22Highly commended category 4... Behaviour. The Contenders. We actually went to Bahia Magdalena to photograph blue and mako sharks offshore. We had no baiting success that morning so on the way back we stopped by a small beach where fisherman land their catch. As we arrived we could see tens of pelicans flocking around a fishing boat for scraps from the nets. So we started throwing our leftover bait in small scraps as fisherman regularly do and quickly had crazy pelican action around our boat. Hanging by the side we were able to shoot them going for the fish with fully extended pouches and contending with each other. The photo opportunities were great so we decided to convert the next day of shark attempts to more pelican shooting. Building on the first day experience, the next day we oriented the boat for better light and played with split levels to try to catch the lively action both above and below the water. Picture: Simone Caprodossi/United Arab Emirates/UPY 2017
Winner Category 5... Portrait. Face to Face. We were photographing a big school of bat fish in front of the fully blue background in Shark Rafeen, Rash Mohamed National Park in Egypt, but it is extremely hard to capture a school of fish in a nice position, especially with divers swimming by all the time, so I gave up trying. Not so far from the others I noticed a crevice in a rock, which fish used as a cleaning station, and slowly, very slowly, I swam into the gap, switching places with the cleaning fish. This made it possible to photograph this bat fish front on. Picture: Lorincz Ferenc/Hungary/UPY 2017
18/22Winner Category 5... Portrait. Face to Face. We were photographing a big school of bat fish in front of the fully blue background in Shark Rafeen, Rash Mohamed National Park in Egypt, but it is extremely hard to capture a school of fish in a nice position, especially with divers swimming by all the time, so I gave up trying. Not so far from the others I noticed a crevice in a rock, which fish used as a cleaning station, and slowly, very slowly, I swam into the gap, switching places with the cleaning fish. This made it possible to photograph this bat fish front on. Picture: Lorincz Ferenc/Hungary/UPY 2017
Third Category 5... Portrait. Hypnotic. Pygmy seahorses are some of the most shy beings I’ve ever met. The strobes and strong light are not to their liking and most of the time they just turn away. My goal was to use as less light as possible so I’ve built my own snoot in order to accomplish that. It creates a “needle” of light. Not bothered by flashes or torches, this pygmy looked straight into the camera offering me one of the most rewarding hypnotic portraits I have ever shot. Picture: Dragos Dumitrescu/Romania /UPY 2017
19/22Third Category 5... Portrait. Hypnotic. Pygmy seahorses are some of the most shy beings I’ve ever met. The strobes and strong light are not to their liking and most of the time they just turn away. My goal was to use as less light as possible so I’ve built my own snoot in order to accomplish that. It creates a “needle” of light. Not bothered by flashes or torches, this pygmy looked straight into the camera offering me one of the most rewarding hypnotic portraits I have ever shot. Picture: Dragos Dumitrescu/Romania /UPY 2017
Highly Commended Category 5... Portrait. Lophiodes fimbriatus. Blackwater diving, defined as drifting through the open ocean at night over thousands of feet of water, is all about seeing life that you have never witnessed before. One night, my buddy pointed out what looked like an egg-yolk jelly, which aren’t commonly found in the shallows around Hawaii. But as I looked closer, fins and eyes started to appear and I realized this wasn’t a jelly at all, but an anglerfish! The 3 cm long fish with 6cm long tendrils was wonderfully camouflaged to look like a stinging, inedible jelly. You won’t find Lophiodes fimbriatus in any book on Hawaii’s fishes-this is the first time it has been observed this far east, and possibly the third time it has ever been seen at all! Picture: Jeff Milisen/USA /UPY 2017
20/22Highly Commended Category 5... Portrait. Lophiodes fimbriatus. Blackwater diving, defined as drifting through the open ocean at night over thousands of feet of water, is all about seeing life that you have never witnessed before. One night, my buddy pointed out what looked like an egg-yolk jelly, which aren’t commonly found in the shallows around Hawaii. But as I looked closer, fins and eyes started to appear and I realized this wasn’t a jelly at all, but an anglerfish! The 3 cm long fish with 6cm long tendrils was wonderfully camouflaged to look like a stinging, inedible jelly. You won’t find Lophiodes fimbriatus in any book on Hawaii’s fishes-this is the first time it has been observed this far east, and possibly the third time it has ever been seen at all! Picture: Jeff Milisen/USA /UPY 2017
Winner British Waters Macro,.. Dragon display. This cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) noticed me before I noticed it. As I passed, it was skulking behind a rock and wafting its tentacles in what was either a kelpy camouflage tactic or an attempt to warn me away. Cuttlefish will often make this type of threat display and only retreat once it’s clear that the diving photographer or other recipient has not been appropriately cowed. Although I was not too intimidated, I do love the pose and to me, the outstretched strobe-lit tentacles against a dark background bring to mind a fearsome Chinese dragon. Cuttlefish are fascinating, beautiful creatures and I have had some wonderful experiences in British waters watching them breed, fight, feed, or just interact with divers. I find it terribly sad that in some former hotspots, increased use of cuttlefish pots, especially during the mating season, has had a devastating impact on cuttlefish numbers. Picture: Kirsty Andrews/UK/UPY 2017
21/22Winner British Waters Macro,.. Dragon display. This cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) noticed me before I noticed it. As I passed, it was skulking behind a rock and wafting its tentacles in what was either a kelpy camouflage tactic or an attempt to warn me away. Cuttlefish will often make this type of threat display and only retreat once it’s clear that the diving photographer or other recipient has not been appropriately cowed. Although I was not too intimidated, I do love the pose and to me, the outstretched strobe-lit tentacles against a dark background bring to mind a fearsome Chinese dragon. Cuttlefish are fascinating, beautiful creatures and I have had some wonderful experiences in British waters watching them breed, fight, feed, or just interact with divers. I find it terribly sad that in some former hotspots, increased use of cuttlefish pots, especially during the mating season, has had a devastating impact on cuttlefish numbers. Picture: Kirsty Andrews/UK/UPY 2017
Highly commended category 5... Portrait. Kiss me! El Bajón is an impressive dive located at El Hierro Island marine reserve and, due to its non fishing status in the area, some dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) have been able to grow and reach large sizes (the species is classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List). It is interesting that these large specimens have grown accustomed to divers and, sometimes, they let photographers get close, or very close, like in this picture (other times they just ignore all divers). It is a pleasure just being able to dive with these giants and it is even better when they collaborate and stand looking at their reflection on the dome port for some minutes, letting the photographer experiment with light and composition. Picture: David Barrio/Spain /UPY 2017
22/22Highly commended category 5... Portrait. Kiss me! El Bajón is an impressive dive located at El Hierro Island marine reserve and, due to its non fishing status in the area, some dusky groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) have been able to grow and reach large sizes (the species is classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List). It is interesting that these large specimens have grown accustomed to divers and, sometimes, they let photographers get close, or very close, like in this picture (other times they just ignore all divers). It is a pleasure just being able to dive with these giants and it is even better when they collaborate and stand looking at their reflection on the dome port for some minutes, letting the photographer experiment with light and composition. Picture: David Barrio/Spain /UPY 2017
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Original URL: https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/photos/go-underwater-to-see-natures-ocean-life-on-full-display/image-gallery/0df385b09c34baf1ef8bc16129ea5c51