The Underwater Photographer of the Year award is one I look forward to every year, as it consistently produces beautiful photography of life in another world.
The annual competition celebrates that which lies beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers and pools. This year saw 6,750 entries vying for the title of Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 – a title awarded to Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero, for his photograph Radiant Bond. Taken in French Polynesia, Radiant Bond depicts the special connection between a mother humpback whale and her newborn calf.
"The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy," explained Herrero. "The calf is releasing a few bubbles underwater showing it is still learning to hold its breath properly. For me, this photo really shows a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean".
Speaking on the winning image, contest judge Peter Rowlands states, "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, but the increasing populations of humpback whales worldwide shows what can be achieved".
The contest was made up of 13 categories, representing themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behavior and Wreck photography. And, as the competition is UK-based, it included three categories for photos taken specifically in British waters.
Other winners included Shunsuke Nakano from Japan, who won the Behaviour category with his image Face Off – which depicts two male Asian sheepshead wrasse dueling over spawning rights. Abdulaziz Al Saleh from Kuwait won the Portrait category with his impressive shot, Hydration, portraying camels drinking in the desert from the unique perspective of under the water.
Compact cameras have become one of the world's favorite imaging tools of late, popularized by social media and content creators. That being said, they are also more than capable of creating beautiful images – as is the case with the winner of the Compact Cameras category, Bryan Turffs, for his image The Beauty of the Swamp that was taken with a GoPro!
Another highlight of the competition was the winner of British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025, which was awarded to David Alpert for challenging the misconceptions of British waters. A common understanding is that British waters are murky and lifeless; while that is true for many of our rivers, due to human culpability, through his image The Curious Seal Alpert showcases that there is still life yet.
"This image is truly a stunner. It is well framed in the sea weeds and has beautiful light beams so evocative of shallow waters," says judge Friedrich. "The composition is completed by the inquisitive look. An excellent portrait".
The Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 contest has showcased some exceptionally stunning images. I highly recommend visiting the official website to view the complete list of winners and their photographs.
The photos are incredibly inspiring and, if you examine the equipment and settings used for the captures, there’s a lot to learn – especially that you don't need the most high-end gear to take award-winning images!
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Check out our guides to the best underwater fish cameras and the best waterproof cameras.
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