Seals, sharks and spiny squat lobsters: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025

The Guardian

21-02-2025

A diver in the multicoloured waters of a cenote, or sinkhole, in Mexico. 'I first travelled to Cancun, Mexico, for a shoot two years ago, and since then I've been captivated by its charm. To capture this particular photo, I visited during the rainy summer season and worked with a local Korean guide as my model.'
'This is a photo of two male Asian sheepshead wrasse fighting. The one on the left is the harem king, who has defended his territory for more than 10 years and is estimated to be over 30 years old, while the other one is a young challenger. Despite staying for a week during the breeding season, I was only able to observe this scene once, for just 10 seconds. And this was the only photograph I was able to take. The sight of them fighting in their flashy white outfits was so magnificent I can still remember it vividly.'
Herrero captured the special relationship between a mother humpback whale and her newborn calf in French Polynesia. 'For me, this photo really shows a mother's love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean. The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy. The calf is releasing a few bubbles showing it is still learning to hold its breath properly.'
'Botos look very unusual compared to other dolphins, with incredibly long rostra, with vestigial hairs on them, tiny eyes and thick bodies. The idea here [in Brazil] was to try to get an unexpected view of a surprising animal most people have never heard about. I also wanted to make it apparent that they live beneath the forest canopy in Coca-Cola-coloured water.'
'My encounters with octopuses in the UK are usually unplanned. This one was no exception … Midway through the dive, the current surged unexpectedly, turning our gentle drift into a rapid ride. Then I saw it: an octopus perched high on the reef wall. I kicked hard against the current, raising my camera as it observed me calmly. The tide was relentless, and I managed only four shots before it pulled me away.'
'This tiger shark [in Indonesia] is just one of around 200 million sharks that lose their lives every year at the hands of humans … Every time I take a photo like this, it hurts, but through imagery I can inspire millions of people to understand sharks and their situation and make a difference.'
'My photo is from Lundy Island, a marine protected area since 1973. 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.'
'Aqaba [in Jordan] is well-known among most divers and was high on my wishlist for years. Finally, a perfect opportunity was created by Carlos Diezel (the agile freediver you can see in this photo) in collaboration with Diverse Divers diving centre … before I even pressed the shutter, I already had the feeling that it's probably the best shot of the trip.'
'This image was taken on a wonderful night dive at Inveraray, Loch Fyne [in Scotland]. This site is known for being home to many beautiful fireworks anemones at shallow depths, but it also has an old pipe covered in concrete blocks which is home to lots of life, including the spiny squat lobster. These lobsters are usually found clinging upside down on boulders/overhangs and disappear the instant the camera shutter is pressed. However, on this night dive they were wandering about in the open and didn't seem to mind having a few pictures taken.'
'I wanted to photograph the camels [in Al Wafra desert] drinking water from the underwater perspective because I had not seen any images showing this. The first week the camels were a bit hesitant to drink while my camera was under the water … but after several days the camels had already accepted me and my equipment.'
'Fish soup – this is how the wreck of the SS Baygitano [off Lyme Regis, Dorset] is often described. She sits in only 20 metres of water, just off the shore, and is unparalleled for the sheer number of bib above the wreckage as well as large conger eels filling every likely crevice. This conger was particularly large, fitting snugly into its hole, but I couldn't believe it when I looked more closely and saw a lobster tucked snugly into the same spot.'
'I don't often shoot with compact cameras, but I absolutely loved playing with the Insta360 due to its wide scope for creative imagery. While looking through footage I had captured aboard the Ghazala Explorer in Egypt, I found a frame that told the story of boat life, Egyptian reef diving and selfie photography. This split-level frame captures the crew on the back of the deck. Moving in, it shows the glistening surface of the water, then dips below to the vibrant coral reef. In the centre – that's me, shown capturing the image while holding the camera up and half out of the water on a selfie stick. The Insta360 uses software to automatically delete this stick from its footage and photographs.'
'The giant kelp forests of the Falkland Islands are among the lushest algal amphitheatres anywhere in the cold-water world. Their prodigious productivity supports a plethora of awesome aquatic animals, including this rambunctiously curious South American sea lion ( Otaria flavescens ).'
'The wreck sits on the reef at around 104 metres depth. When she sank she got wedged between the reef wall and a small reef so there is a swim-through under the wreck.'
'Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is a magical destination where the colour, beauty, biodiversity and dense fish life can almost be an overload on the senses – a celebration of healthy reef life. I was lucky to find perfect conditions with clear water and schooling baitfish swirling among the canyons of a large coral bommie, adorned with verdant soft corals. I aimed to capture the reef teeming with life and colour to inspire us all to protect this valuable habitat.'
'In summertime, the towers of bootlace weed in Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset, are covered in 5mm beautiful stalked jellyfish. Each with a unique pattern and colour, like tiny intricate lace doilies. For this image I wanted the stalked jellyfish to stand out like a jewel on the weed where they are naturally quite camouflaged, so I lit the weed from behind with a blue light and snooted [spotlighted] the swaying stalked jellyfish with white light.'