Photo / Video News & Reviews
Photo Gallery: Shark Week
It is Shark Week this week and so to celebrate these wonderful creatures, our gallery features images from some of our favourite shark dives around the world. The mainstream press don’t do these much misunderstood predators any favours, often portraying them as mindless killers, when in truth, they live complex lives and have amazing adaptations to their environment.
Image 1: This shot is from our very first shark dive, which was at Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. It was a defining couple of dives for us and really was the catalyst for all our shark diving images that followed. This pair are Blacktip Sharks and part of a group of around 30 sharks that joined us for this dive. On our trip back to shore we also saw our first ever Whaleshark – it was quite a day! Dive Operator: www.bluewilderness.co.za
Image 2: Caribbean Reef Sharks swimming over a healthy reef off Nassau in The Bahamas. We were the only people on this dive and had between 6 and 10 sharks around us for over an hour. We spent a couple of days diving with Caribbean Reef Sharks on reef and wrecks in clear, blue, warm shallow waters. It was heaven! Dive Operator: www.stuartcove.com
Image 3: After a wonderful trip to Socorro, it was a bit of an impulsive decision to head out to try to find Blue, Mako or Smooth Hammerhead Sharks off the Cabo coastline in Mexico. We were flying home the next day, so could not dive, and this was the perfect way to end a wonderful trip. We spent time snorkelling with two Smooth Hammerhead Sharks, a first for us, and their curious nature meant that we had some lovely close encounters.
Dive Operator: www.cabosharkdive.com
Image 4: Blue Sharks are one of the most beautiful sharks you can encounter and they are found in plenty of places around the world. Our encounter with them was close to home, in Cornwall in the UK. Whilst we only saw one individual, she stayed with us for over an hour, and with only 5 people on the dive boat, there were plenty of great photographic opportunities. Dive Operator: www.charleshood.com
Image 5: One of our all-time favourite dives has got to be the Great Hammerhead dive in Bimini in The Bahamas. Seeing these amazing, and huge, sharks up close is a real treat. We have done this dive on two different visits and cannot wait to go back! The dive is in shallow water and there is usually plenty of sunlight shining down. This image shows the incredible turning circle the Great Hammerhead has, as it swam right over our heads. Dive Operator: www.biminiscubacenter.com
Image 6: You can never rely on the weather, especially when you are heading out to small remote islands a good distance from land. Alas, we were unlucky on our Great White Shark expedition in South Australia, with a polar vortex coinciding with our trip, but even with tough photographic conditions, we had an amazing time. The Great White Shark is an awesome beast, and even though you know they are going to be big – their sheer size still surprises you. Dive Operator: www.rodneyfox.com.au
Image 7: A Basking Shark from Cornwall, UK feeds with its mouth wide open to take in as much plankton as possible. These huge sharks, this one was about 7 meters in length, come to the west coast of the UK from Cornwall to Scotland in early summer to feed. The plankton they feed on can vastly reduce the visibility and therefore photography can be challenging. To get the best shots, watch their feeding behaviour for a while to make an educated guess as to their pattern, before you get in the water and then wait for them to come to you. Dive Operator: www.charleshood.com
There are so many more we could have added to this gallery! We will have to leave it there for now, but will be returning to our favourite shark dives and writing some more about this topic soon.
For more from Nick and Caroline, visit www.frogfishphotography.com
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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