13 Impressive Photos Which Won Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2025
Two thirds of the Earth is underwater and marine life can make for an extraordinary visuals. The fascinating world that exists in the depths of bodies of water has captured the attention of amateur photographers around the world. One world famous annual competition is the Underwater Photographer of the Year, based in the UK. The contest celebrates the beauty that lies beneath the surfaces of oceans, rivers, lakes and even animal drinking troughs.
During the 2025 competition, 6750 contestants from 28 countries around the globe entered their submissions under 13 categories. Some of the themes were, Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour, and Wreck photography, with three categories for images captured specifically in British waters. Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero took home the grand prize for his stunning ‘Radiant Bond’ photo which depicts the beautiful relationship between a humpback whale mother and her newborn calf. Herrero explained of the image captured in French Polynesia, that “The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface because the baby is still so small and clumsy.”
More info: UnderwaterPhotographeroftheYear2025
#1 Alvarez Herrero – Category WINNER and Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 (Wide Angle)
© AlvarezHerrero/UPY2025
Image Source: UnderwaterPhotographeroftheYear2025
#2 Paolo Bondaschi – Macro Winner
© PaoloBondaschi/UPY2025
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#3 Alex Dawson – Wrecks Winner
© AlexDawson/UPY2025
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#4 Shansuke Nakano – Behaviour Winner
© ShansukeNakano/UPY2025
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#5 Abdulaziz Al Saleh – Portrait Winner
© AbdulazizAlSaleh/UPY2025
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#6 Catherine Holmes – Coral Reefs Winner
© CatherineHolmes/UPY2025
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#7 Enric Gener – Black & White Winner
© EnricGener/UPY2025
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#8 Bryant Turffs – Compact Winner
© BryantTurffs/UPY2025
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#9 David Alpert – Category WINNER and British Underwater Photographer of the Year (British Waters Wide Angle)
© DavidAlpert/UPY2025
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#10 Dan Bolt – British Waters Macro
© DanBolt/UPY2025
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#11 Dan Bolt – British Waters Living Together
© DanBolt/UPY2025
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#12 Robert Lehmann – “Save Our Seas Foundation” Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year
© RobertLehmann/UPY2025
Image Source: UnderwaterPhotographeroftheYear2025
#13 Ruruka – Category WINNER and Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year
© Ruruka/UPY2025
Image Source: UnderwaterPhotographeroftheYear2025
Got wisdom to pour?
Absolutely breathtaking! 🌊📸 The Underwater Photographer of the Year never fails to reveal the magic hidden beneath the surface. Alvaro Herrero’s *‘Radiant Bond’* is not just a photo—it’s an emotional narrative of nature’s tenderness and strength. The global participation and diverse categories show how underwater photography is becoming a powerful form of visual storytelling and Brand Activation
for marine conservation. Truly inspiring work by all the photographers involved!