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Amazing Wildlife Encounters: Farne-tastic Diving

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Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown from Frogfish Photography take a group of divers and underwater photographers to the Farne Islands to dive with some very special British marine life…

seals

Sunrise in the Farne Islands as we head out to dive

The Farne Islands is a remote cluster of rocks and islets found just off the north-east coast of England, 40 miles south of Scotland. The closest town is Seahouses, and it is from this harbour (or Beadnell Bay) that you can set out on the short ride to this amazing outcrop of Northumberland. There are some 20 islands (although some of these are only visible at low tide) and they are made up of an outer and inner group of islands. They are internationally famous for their wildlife with huge numbers of birds, including puffins, selecting this as their breeding grounds during the summer months. Going ashore on most of these islands is not allowed, in an effort to protect the wildlife living there. Tourists flock to the region and take boat rides to see and photograph the wildlife, and they nearly all come to see the most charismatic of the species residing here – puffins and the seals.

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An Atlantic Grey Seal curves towards the camera at the surface of sea in the Farne Islands

We aim to dive the Farne Islands at least twice every year; once in peak summer season to try to get the best weather, and then also at the end of October to try to be there for the seal pupping season, when over 1000 seals are born each year, and you can get incredible, close-up and intimate underwater encounters with these amazing wild animals. We always take the trip with Paul Walker from Farne Island Divers, who is a great skipper, and has truly expert knowledge of these islands. He has a huge RIB that not only can get us to the dive sites before the slower hard boats arrive, but that can also be manoeuvred much closer in, to where the seals are resting and, of course, to get us to the very best sites. The ability to get right up to the rocks also means that we get to enjoy plenty of the bird life and can spend our surface intervals watching the puffins and other seabirds whilst warming up with a mug of hot soup.

The diving here, however, is not only about the seals, but also offers great marine scenery with gullies lined with hundreds of anemones, juvenile fish and crustaceans hiding amongst the kelp forests and wrecks to explore. Whilst this superb UK diving is not to be overlooked, most importantly to us, it offers our divers and budding photographers the chance to get in, photograph and interact with the local seals. To really enhance the possibility of seeing the seals up close, you need to stay in the relatively shallow water, and so this experience is a great way to get people enthusing about UK diving.

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Looking out for seals amongst the kelp

One of our favourite sites is Little Harcar, diving along a small, shallow wall, to a maximum depth of about 10m. Your initial encounter may well be with a larger seal buzzing you, flashing past far too quickly to even raise your camera to try to get off a shot. Gullies in the rock face are a good place to explore, and you will often see the seals playing overhead. Keep going and you will enter a small bay area, and this is where all the serious action happens. It seems to be a place where the seals like to relax in one of the many cracks in the rock, which may have a sleeping seal wedged in for a bit of shut-eye. The young ones are most likely to be awake and up for a bit of fun, and they will follow you for a while, occasionally grabbing your fin, until they pluck up the courage to come around and have a good look at you. This is the sort of UK dive site that can have you staying in the water for well over an hour, regardless of the cool water off the rugged yet beautiful north east coastline. As an underwater photographer, it is, sometimes, hard to know which way to point the camera, when you have 3 or more eager seals vying for your attention.

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When the vis is good there is no better place to dive

Our experienced skipper, Paul, always waits until we’re out and on the islands to select the best dive site. Bobbing in the water, close to shore to assess the currents, tides and also whether the seals look like they are in the right frame of mind and are up for a spot of playing about with divers. Just because there are large numbers of seals lying about on the island doesn’t mean they are in the mood for swimming with humans. Most of the islands will have a group of seals, hauled up on the shore for a spot of R & R, often after they have been out on a hunting expedition; but when approached by a boat, many will dive into the water and then pop up their heads to look at you inquisitively. When you have lots of seals in the water, all looking at the boat, as if to ask when you might be getting in, you sort of get the feeling that it is going to be a good dive.

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Colourful corals and anemones cover the shallow reef walls

On our most recent trip, the weather looked like it might ruin our final day of diving, with large waves beating up onto shore, but Paul found us an amazing and very sheltered spot, and as he manoeuvred the boat into position, what look like at least 100 seal heads popped up out of the water, pleading with those puppy dog eyes for you to come and play. Our skipper still seemed a little dubious about the dive; “It’s only 4-5m deep here and you will have to stay away from that channel only 15 m away, which has a 5 knot current ripping through it. Are you sure you want to dive here?”  Came the question from our skipper. The response was inevitable. “Too right,” came the reply as all 10 of us started scrambling into our dive gear. It was one of the best days diving we have ever had in the Farne Islands. The sun was shining and we were in shallow water, with playful seals and beautiful scenery. As underwater photographers, particularly, there is not a better dive anywhere in the UK, and possibly further afield too when it is like this!

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Two photographers get in close for a shot of this young seaBack on land, there is plenty to do in the area, with the imposing profile of Bamburgh castle visible on the horizon just along the coast, and you can also visit Lindisfarne when the tides are right for making the crossing along the causeway. After a day of excitement, diving in playing with his endearing creatures, most chose to sit and select from a great line-up of real ales served at The Ship Inn overlooking the harbour and the sea wall.

To find out more about Farne Island Divers, visit www.farneislanddivers.co.uk.

To find out more about Frogfish Photography and the courses and trips they offer, visit www.frogfishphotography.com.

Nick and Caroline (Frogfish Photography) are a married couple of conservation driven underwater photo-journalists and authors. Both have honours degrees from Manchester University, in Environmental Biology and Biology respectively, with Nick being a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a former high school science teacher with a DipEd in Teaching Studies. Caroline has an MSc in Animal Behaviour specializing in Caribbean Ecology. They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. Nick and Caroline regularly use their free time to visit schools, both in the UK and on their travels, to discuss the important issues of marine conservation, sharks and plastic pollution. They are ambassadors for Sharks4Kids and founders of SeaStraw. They are Dive Ambassadors for The Islands of The Bahamas and are supported by Mares, Paralenz, Nauticam and Olympus. To find out more visit www.frogfishphotography.com

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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