Photo / Video News & Reviews
Going To Scubafest Anglesey? Enter The Northern Underwater Photography Competition
The Northern Underwater Photography Competition is to be held on Saturday 16th August as part of the Scubafest Anglesey weekend. Underwater photographers of all levels are invited to take part by taking photos in North Wales on the day. The images will be judged that evening by all those that come along, and as an added bonus, there will also be the evening festivities organised by Scubafest Anglesey to enjoy, including a hog roast and a live band. Trophies will be presented to the winners. At the same time the NUPG will also hold a print competition, showing off some of the best images from the British Isles and from Overseas. Everyone is welcome to enter.
The NUPG Splash-In is supported by some great companies that sponsor the trophies that each category winner gets to take home and keep in pride of place. The sponsors for the event are Apeks, DiveLife, Dive Quest, Equator Diving, Frogsborn, Frogfish Photography, INON, Mares, SITA & Underwater Visions.
Splash-In
You must register to enter the Splash-In before the event, by 8pm on Thursday 14th August. You can do this by emailing competition@nupg.org.uk.
You will then be sent a registration form that you must photograph at the start of the day and at the end of your dives.
Images must be handed in, along with your entry fee of £5, at the main room at the Scubafest event (Anglesey Outdoor Centre) between 6:30 and 7:30pm. Judging will start at 8pm and the awards will be handed out at around 9pm.
Categories: Compact Camera Macro; Compact Camera Wide-Angle; System Camera Macro; System Camera Wide-Angle.
(Where a system camera is defined as having interchangeable lenses: 4/3rds; mirrorless, SLR)
Rules: The rules are very simple. You may enter up to 4 images, with a maximum of 2 images in any category. Images must be taken in the sea in North Wales on Saturday 16th August 2014. It is a photography competition and so image manipulation should be kept to a minimum. No cropping allowed. Only whole image manipulation (e.g. changing to black & white); images must be submitted as jpg files (originals must be kept for judges to check).
There is also a special category for Scubafest which is free to enter. These should be images of the Scubafest event (divers getting ready, equipment, people having fun along the shore or at the event). You can enter a maximum of 2 images and these must be entered from 6:30 – 7:30pm at the main hall at the Anglesey Outdoor Centre. Judging will be at the same time as the NUPG Splash-In, by all those that attend and a trophy given to the winner.
Print Competition
The NUPG will also run a print competition to show off the best images from the previous 12 months. These images will be on display at Scubafest from the Friday evening for people to look at and select their favourites. You can also bring them along on Saturday, as this is when they will be judged.
Categories: Overseas Wide-Angle; Overseas Macro; British Isles Wide-Angle & British Isles Macro
Rules: Images must have been taken within the previous 12 months of the competition date (i.e. from 16th August 2013 to 15th August 2014); Prints must be no larger than A4 size (with no borders); you may enter a maximum of 4 prints and the cost to enter is £1 per print to be paid on the evening.
For more details go to www.nupg.org.uk.
Photo: Frogfish Photography
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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