Adorable Elephant Seal Pups Crowned Best Underwater Photograph of the Year
A captivating photograph of Southern elephant seal pups, affectionately dubbed "Rockpool Rookies," has been awarded the prestigious title of Best Underwater Photograph of the Year. The image, captured by photographer Matty Smith on the Falkland Islands, showcases the playful duo clambering over one another in shallow rockpools as they take their first solo swimming lessons.
Smith expertly documented the moment soon after the pups were abandoned by their mother, a natural behavior in elephant seals once weaning is complete. To achieve the striking under-over perspective, Smith utilized a custom-built dome, skillfully balancing the light on the pups' fur with the setting sun. This technical prowess helped the image stand out among nearly 8,000 entries in the competition.
Other Stunning Winners Across Categories
The contest featured a diverse array of award-winning photographs, each highlighting unique aspects of marine life. In the Up & Coming category, Sam Blount's "Lunging Leopard" captured the intense moment a leopard seal, one of Antarctica's top predators, charged toward him with its jaws wide open. Contest judge Tobias Friedrich praised it as "probably the best leopard seal shots I've seen," noting the perfect composition and delicate lighting.
Other notable winners include Andrea Michelutti's Compact category entry, depicting a freshwater crayfish in an Alpine lake, and Cecile Gabillon Barats' Wide Angle shot of a curious juvenile sperm whale in Dominica. In the British Waters Macro category, Tom Ingram's poignant image of an octopus mother guarding her eggs, a final act of selflessness before her death, resonated deeply with judges.
Technical Excellence and Emotional Depth
Photographers employed innovative techniques to bring their visions to life. For instance, SeongCheol Cho used red and blue light against green coral to create visual turbulence in the Macro category, while Niclas Andersson staged a four-person team dive to capture the wreck of the IJN Nagato in the Wrecks category. Shunsuke Nakano's Black & White winner contrasted manmade lines with natural patterns in a sunken ship off Sado Island.
The competition also celebrated British marine life, with Valerie Reid's image of soft coral on steel piles in Scotland winning the British Waters Living Together category. Dr. Tom Shlesinger's Coral Reefs entry revealed the synchronized reproduction of corals, an event occurring only once a year for minutes.
From smartphone shots of camouflaged frogfish in Indonesia to behavior captures of clownfish eggs hatching in Japan, the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest continues to showcase the beauty and diversity of our oceans, inspiring awe and conservation efforts worldwide.
