News
Extraordinary Underwater Images Scoop UPY 2019 Awards
A thrilling photograph showing the exact moment a pack of grey reef sharks catch and devour a parrotfish sees British photographer Richard Barnden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019. Barnden’s photograph triumphed over 5000 underwater pictures entered by underwater photographers from 65 countries around the world.
“The Gauntlet” was taken underwater, late at night on the reefs of French Polynesia in the centre of the Pacific Ocean. Barnden explains “As I descended, hundreds of sharks covered the bottom. This unlucky parrotfish flinched, and that tiny movement alerted the swarm of sharks. The mayhem hurtled straight towards me and I instinctively pressed the shutter, moments later all that remained was a rain of parrotfish scales in the darkness, and this photo on my camera.” Barnden, 40, is originally from Brighton, England, but now lives on the small island of Palau, in Micronesia.
Chair of the judges, Dr Alexander Mustard MBE, commented “Photography is about preserving moments and what an unforgettable instant this is. Using a wide angle lens, the photographer takes us into the full drama of the hunt, as a melee of grey reef sharks rise like a breaking wave to tear apart their prey, truly revealing the ocean’s wilder side.”
Spanish photographer, Eduardo Acevedo from Tenerife, was named Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2019 for his photo showing a loggerhead turtle entangled in a discarded plastic fishing net. Acevedo says “the turtles come to the Canary Islands by crossing the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean and have to avoid many man made dangers, like plastics, ropes and fishing nets. This individual was one of the lucky ones because we were able to free it and recover the net.”
Judge Mustard adding “plastic pollution and ghost fishing are ever increasing serious issues threatening the ocean, this sad image highlights both issues”.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition also aims to promote new photographic talent. Korean Taeyup Kim was named as Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 for a technically challenging image half in and half out of the water. “Paradise” shows healthy corals growing in front of a resort in French Polynesia. Kim explains “this photo was physically tough to shoot, holding the heavy camera exactly in this position while floating in the water”.
Competition judge Martin Edge commented “A perfect under and over split. One of the best examples I have seen of this type of image for some time.”
The title of Most Promising British Underwater Photographer, 2019 goes to Malcolm Nimmo from Plymouth in England. His image “Marine Compass” was taken while snorkelling in the Scilly Islands, in the UK. Nimmo explains “maintaining both the surface features and subject illumination requires high strobe power settings and hence careful strobe positioning. Hopefully this image highlights the beautiful marine environments we are lucky to have around the UK.”
Competition judge, Peter Rowlands commented “Composition, colour vibrancy and contrast combined with an unusual angle kept it rising in the rankings with each viewing.”
UPY 2019 Full Results
Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 Richard Barnden (United Kingdom)
British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 Richard Barnden (United Kingdom)
Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 Taeyup Kim (Korea)
Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 Malcolm Nimmo (United Kingdom)
Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2019 Eduardo Acevedo (Spain)
1) Wide Angle
Winner: François Baelen (Reunion)
2) Macro
Winner: Fabio Iardino (Italy)
3) Wrecks
Winner: René B. Andersen (Denmark)
4) Behaviour
Winner: Richard Barnden (United Kingdom)
5) Portrait
Winner: Nicholas Samaras (Greece)
6) Black & White
Winner: Henley Spiers (Philippines)
7) Compact
Winner: Enrico Somogyi (Germany)
8) Up & Coming
Winner: Taeyup Kim (Korea, Republic of)
9) British Waters Wide Angle
Winner: Robert Bailey (United Kingdom)
10) British Waters Macro
Winner: Arthur Kingdon (United Kingdom)
11) British Waters Living Together
Winner: Victoria Walker (United Kingdom)
12) British Waters Compact
Winner: Martin Edser (United Kingdom)
Marine Conservation
Winner: Eduardo Acevedo (Spain)
To see all the incredible images that were placed in this years awards, or to learn more about the competition please visit the UPY website by clicking here.
To download the free 175 page downloadable Yearbook please click here.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
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