A Spanish photographer has been named Underwater Photographer of the Yr for his image of a humpback whale and her new child calf in French Polynesia.
Alvaro Herrero beat greater than 6,750 different entries to take residence this yr’s prize.
His photograph exhibits “a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean”, the competitors’s organisers stated.
Choose Peter Rowlands added: “This delicate yet powerful study of a mother and calf’s bond says all that is great and good about our world.
“We face our challenges, however the rising populations of humpback whales worldwide exhibits what will be achieved.”
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The runner-up within the British Waters Dwelling Collectively class of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Yr competitors, taken at Balaclava Bay, Portland. Pic: Man Bushes/UPY 2025
The Underwater Photographer of the Yr competitors, which began in 1965, celebrates images beneath the floor of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming swimming pools, and attracts entries from around the globe.
There are 13 classes, testing photographers with themes akin to macro, large angle, behaviour and wreck images.
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A successful picture within the British Waters Dwelling Collectively class of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Yr competitors, taken at Loch Carron. Pic: Dan Bolt/UPY 2025
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Bass shoal at Eddystone Rocks – an entry within the 2025 Underwater Images of the Yr competitors, within the British Waters Broad Angle class. Pic: Rick Ayrton/UPY 2025
David Alpert was named the British Underwater Photographer of the Yr for his picture titled The Curious Seal.
He stated his photograph challenges misconceptions that British waters are murky and lifeless.
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David Alpert received the British Underwater Photographer of the Yr award for his picture titled The Curious Seal. Pic: David Alpert/UPY 2025
“My photo is from Lundy Island, a marine protected area since 1973,” Mr Alpert stated.
“British seals are delightfully curious, more interactive than any other species I have dived with around the world. Briefly, I become one of the privileged few, crossing the bridge, able to make a connection with a wild animal.”
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Camels ingesting water in Kuwait. This picture received the portrait class on the awards. Pic: Abdulaziz Al Saleh/UPY 2025
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This image of a tiger shark in Indonesia received within the Save our Seas Marine Conservation Photographer of the Yr class. Pic: Robert Marc Lehmann/UPY 2025
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Two male Asian sheepshead wrasse preventing, which received the motion class within the competitors. Pic: Shunsuke Nakano/UPY 2025
In the meantime, South Korea’s Ruruka was named the Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Yr.
His entry, titled Underwater Aurora, exhibits a diver within the waters of a cenote sinkhole in Mexico.
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Ruruka’s entry, titled Underwater Aurora. Pic: Ruruka/UPY 2025
Ruruka travelled round 24 hours from his residence to seize the picture throughout the wet season, when extra tannin-rich water drains into the sinkhole, creating the bands of color.
