Photo / Video News & Reviews
Announcing the Winner of Scubaverse.com’s Photo of the Year 2016
Winner Chosen by our panel of experts:
Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown, Scubaverse.com’s Underwater Photography Editors
Paul ‘Duxy’ Duxfield, underwater photography professional and resident photo-pro for Scuba Travel
Winner: Wave Maker by Ahmed Helal
Nick, Caroline and guest judge Duxy got together and picked their favourites from the 12 monthly winners from 2016. It was not an easy task, with some great shots both in macro and wide angle. Having narrowed the field down to just a handful, we then had to pick our top three, and put them in order to find our 2016 champion.
Here are each of our top three photos put in order and with comments on each:
First Place: Wave Maker by Ahmed Helal
Nick’s comments:
The winning shot, which was pretty unanimous, is the oceanic white tip cruising beneath the surface. The way Ahmed has captured the shark as if it’s bursting out of the wake makes this a lovely action shot. There is plenty of space in front of the shark for it to move into and the balanced lighting, with the artificial light hitting the underside of the shark has been, for me, perfectly executed.
Caroline’s comments:
I loved this shot the first time I saw it in the April competition. I knew it was going to be up there amongst the best of the year. An engaging subject with a wonderful background, created by a passing RIB, really brings this shot to life.
Duxy’s comments:
I’ve seen a lot of shark pictures this year but this is definitely at the top end of the list. What separates it from the rest is the great background, with the bow wave slicing a perfect diagonal through the waves, and a subtly lit shark just big enough in the frame not to overpower it.
Second Place: Red Sea Sunset by Christian Llewellyn
Nick’s Comments:
Christian’s split shot in the red Sea is one of the best I have seen. The natural, sunset light on the mountains and the boat are wonderful and you can see the depth in the mountains with the changing shades of their shapes. The light is balanced beautifully between above the surface and below, and the way it has picked out the parrotfish beneath the surface just adds to the overall effect. If ever an image encapsulates what is Egypt for a diver, then this has to be it.
Caroline’s comments:
This is not an easy shot to create. The composition and lighting are great, with the Red Sea boat and shoreline in the background, the sun setting and to light up the reef and a couple of parrotfish is a tough ask that has been very well executed. It makes me want to rush back out to Egypt right now to have a go at shooting this split shot myself.
Duxy’s comments:
Chris’ split is perfectly executed, which is a tricky technical feat, as the timing of the sunset, position of the boat, and lit up reef brings the trio of compositional elements together really well.
Third Place: Arrowcrab in Spiral Coral by Joel Warburton
Nick’s comments:
Joel’s arrow head crab is a wonderful piece of macro photography. In the first place it has been framed, with just enough light so that it doesn’t dominate the image. Both its eyes are staring straight at the camera and all the main parts of the critter are perfectly focused. Generally I would find things like the curly bits in this image to be a distraction, but actually they enhance the image and if there was a separate prize for macro then this would be the winner.
Caroline’s comments:
The best macro shot of the year for sure. Great expression on this tiny crab’s face and the background is amazing. This is a shot that really catches the eye, but one that also makes you take your time and examine it further. It is a shot I keep coming back to, to look at over and over again.
Duxy’s comments:
Joel has pulled off the trick of achieving eye contact with the crab, and also using diagonals bringing us in and allowing us to connect visually with this crafty crustacean. Often macro shots can be seen as a bit lazy relying on the fact that we are looking at something amazing without even trying to up the game compositionally.
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Congratulations from all of the Scubaverse team to our winner and runners-up. Thank you to everyone that entered in 2016. We hope to see plenty more of your images in 2017.
Ahmed will receive a wonderful prize of Mares diving equipment, as well as a voucher from Scuba Travel (full details of the prize can be found here).
For your chance to win the 2017 title, you simple need to enter your images each month here:
www.scubaverse.com/current-contest-photo
Good Luck!
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Scubaverse.com would like to say a big thank you to Photo of the Year’s sponsors, Mares and Scuba Travel.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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
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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