CATHERINE HOLMES / UPY 2025 PAOLO BONDASCHI / UPY 2025
Kaleidoscope of Colour R
Winner: Reefs Photographer: Catherine Holmes, UK Location: Gorgonian Passage, Misool, Indonesia
Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is a magical destination where the colour, beauty, biodiversity and dense fish life can almost be an overload on the senses- a celebration of healthy reef life. I was lucky to find perfect conditions with clear water and schooling baitfish swirling among the canyons of a large coral bommie, adorned with verdant soft corals.
Magic backlit R
Winner: Macro Photographer: Paolo Bondaschi, Italy Location: Anilao, Philippines
At the end of a dive, I spotted a couple of underwater photographers focused on shooting and it piqued my curiosity about what they were photographing. After realizing that it was one of my favourite subjects, a hairy shrimp, I waited patiently for my turn and used the time to plan and prepare for the shot.
Curled octopus with soft coral P
Runner-up: British Waters Wide Angle Photographer: Simon Temple, UK Location: Lochcarron, Scotland
My encounters with octopuses in the UK are usually unplanned. This one was no exception. It was early May, and visibility was poor. Midway through the dive, the current surged unexpectedly, turning our gentle drift into a rapid ride. Then I saw it: an octopus perched high on the reef wall. I kicked hard against the current, raising my camera as it observed me calmly.
SIMON TEMPLE / UPY 2025
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