Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY)

Type: Photography competition
Frequency: Annual
Location: UK-based, international entries
Founded: 1965 (original); 2014 (modern revival)
Organizer: British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP)
Website: underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com

Overview

Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) is widely regarded as the world’s leading underwater photography competition, with origins dating to 1965 when British photographer Phil Smith was named the first Underwater Photographer of the Year ([1]). The competition is organized by the British Society of Underwater Photographers, which was founded in 1967.

After a long hiatus, the competition was revived in its modern form in 2014 by Alex Mustard, Dan Bolt, and Peter Rowlands. Mustard serves as chair of the judging panel and is described as “the driving force behind UPY” ([2]). The modern competition celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools, attracting thousands of entries from photographers in over 50 countries ([3]).

The inaugural modern edition in 2015 received 2,500 entries and was announced at the London International Dive Show ([4]). By 2022, entries came from 71 countries ([5]). Results are typically announced in February each year, initially at the London International Dive Show and later at the Go Diving Show in Coventry ([6]).

Judging and Format

Judging Panel

The original judging panel consisted of three experienced underwater photographers: Alex Mustard (chair), Martin Edge (author of The Underwater Photographer), and Peter Rowlands ([7]). This panel remained consistent through the 2022 edition ([8]). For UPY 2023, Tobias Friedrich replaced Martin Edge on the panel ([9]).

Mustard emphasized that judging is conducted in person: “We take the process very seriously, bringing all the judges together in one room, all looking at and discussing the images face to face over two days. Many competitions are judged online these days, with judges never meeting, and I think that our old school approach really strikes a chord with the entrants” ([10]).

Categories

The competition began with 8 categories in 2015 and expanded to 11 by 2018 and 13 by 2021 ([11]). Categories include:

International categories: Wide Angle, Macro, Wrecks, Behaviour, Portrait, Black & White, Compact, Up & Coming

British Waters categories: British Waters Wide Angle, British Waters Macro, British Waters Compact, British Waters Living Together

Special categories: Marine Conservation (Save Our Seas Foundation), My Backyard (introduced 2021)

Special Awards

In addition to category winners, UPY makes four special awards ([12]):

UPY revived the British Underwater Photographer of the Year and Most Promising British titles from the original Brighton Festival era. Judge Peter Rowlands noted that he himself is a former Brighton-era British Underwater Photographer of the Year ([13]).

Prizes and Sponsors

Prize sponsors have included Apeks, Fourth Element, Nauticam, Scuba Travel, and Magic Filters ([14]). Media partners include Diver Magazine, Underwater Photography Magazine, and the British Society of Underwater Photographers. In 2021, due to COVID-19’s impact on the diving industry, UPY did not offer prizes: “the diving industry has been severely impacted by the events of 2020, and in support of them we feel it is not an appropriate time for photographers to be asking them for prizes” ([15]). Prizes returned for UPY 2022 with over 30 prizes ([16]). For UPY 2023, Marelux joined as a double category sponsor, providing the competition’s biggest-ever cash prizes for the Wide Angle and Macro categories ([17]).

Yearbook and Feedback

UPY publishes a free downloadable PDF yearbook each year featuring the top images from the competition ([18]). The contest also incorporates a bespoke results system that provides feedback to every entrant on how far each of their images progressed through judging ([19]).

Overall Winners

YearOverall WinnerCountryWinning ImageNotes
2015Nuno SáPortugal”50 Tons of Me” (seahorse)Inaugural modern edition; 2,500 entries ([20])
2016Davide LoprestiItaly”Gold” (spiny seahorse)Entries from 54 countries ([21])
2017Gabriel (Gaby) BarathieuFranceHunting octopus([22])
2018Tobias FriedrichGermany”Cycle War” (SS Thistlegorm panorama)Over 5,000 entries ([23])
2019Richard Barnden—Behaviour category winnerAnnounced at Go Diving Show, Coventry ([24])
2020Greg LecoeurFranceCrabeater seals and icebergAnnounced at Go Diving Show ([25])
2021Renee CapozzolaUSA”Shark Skylight” (sharks, birds, sunset)First female overall winner; no prizes due to COVID-19 ([26], [27])
2022Rafael Fernandez CaballeroSpain”Dancing with the Giants of the Night” (whale sharks)Entries from 71 countries ([28])
2023Kat Zhou—“Boto Encantado” (Amazon river dolphin split shot)Also won Up & Coming category ([29])

British Underwater Photographer of the Year Winners

YearWinnerWinning Image
2015Matt DoggettGannets feeding, Shetland Islands ([30])
2016Dan Bolt”Catshark Supernova” ([31])
2017Nick Blake([32])
2018Grant Thomas”Love Birds” (swans, Loch Lomond) ([33])
2020Nick More([34])
2021Mark Kirkland”While You Sleep” (frog, Glasgow wetland) ([35])
2022Matty Smith”Great White Split” (great white shark, Neptune Islands) ([36])
2023Ollie Clarke”The Swarm” ([37])

Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year Winners

YearWinnerCountryWinning Image
2016Pier ManeSouth Africa”Three Pillars” (Bahamas sharks) ([38])
2017Horacio Martinez—([39])
2018Man BDMalaysia”Roar” (nudibranchs with moray eel) ([40])
2020Anita Kainrath—([41])
2022Quico AbadalSpain”Supernova in Paradise” ([42])
2023Kat Zhou—“Boto Encantado” (also overall winner) ([43])

Exhibitions

Winning images have been displayed internationally. In 2016, the UPY image collection toured to Cape Town, South Africa, where 41 images spanning 8 categories were exhibited at the Chavonnes Battery Museum at the V&A Waterfront from May through September, in partnership with South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute ([44]).

Wetpixel Coverage

UPY has been extensively covered on Wetpixel, with Adam Hanlon reporting on results and calls for entries each year. Starting in 2020, the Wetpixel Live YouTube series featured episodes where Hanlon and Mustard discussed UPY winners, including critical reviews of winning images and analysis of what made them successful ([45]). Many UPY winners and finalists have been members of the Wetpixel community ([46]).

Mustard noted in 2015: “I was particularly pleased to see female photographers doing so well in UPY. Photography is definitely a discipline that the sexes can compete side by side, and everyone knows women make the best divers! We had 14 different female photographers amongst our winning and commended entries” ([47]).

COVID-19 Impact

The 2021 edition was significantly affected by COVID-19. With international travel restricted, UPY introduced a new “My Backyard Award” to celebrate images taken close to home and extended the eligibility window to images captured up to 5 years before the deadline ([48]). The My Backyard Award continued in subsequent years ([49]).

Notable Recurring Competitors

Several photographers have placed in UPY across multiple years:

Timeline

References

Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Feb 15, 2018: Results Of Upy 2018 Announced ↩
  2. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2015: Results Of Upy 2015 Announced ↩
  3. Wetpixel article, Nov 9, 2020: Call For Entries Upy 2021 ↩
  4. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2015: Results Of Upy 2015 Announced ↩
  5. Wetpixel article, Nov 22, 2022: Upy 2023 Is Accepting Entries ↩
  6. Wetpixel article, Feb 24, 2019: Results Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2019 ↩
  7. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2015: Results Of Upy 2015 Announced ↩
  8. Wetpixel article, Nov 3, 2021: Call For Entries Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2021 ↩
  9. Wetpixel article, Nov 22, 2022: Upy 2023 Is Accepting Entries ↩
  10. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2016: Upy 2016 Results Announced ↩
  11. Wetpixel article, Nov 9, 2020: Call For Entries Upy 2021 ↩
  12. Wetpixel article, Oct 31, 2015: Upy 2016 Opens For Entries ↩
  13. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2015: Results Of Upy 2015 Announced ↩
  14. Wetpixel article, Oct 31, 2015: Upy 2016 Opens For Entries ↩
  15. Wetpixel article, Nov 9, 2020: Call For Entries Upy 2021 ↩
  16. Wetpixel article, Nov 3, 2021: Call For Entries Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2021 ↩
  17. Wetpixel article, Nov 22, 2022: Upy 2023 Is Accepting Entries ↩
  18. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2016: Upy 2016 Results Announced ↩
  19. Wetpixel article, Nov 9, 2020: Call For Entries Upy 2021 ↩
  20. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2015: Results Of Upy 2015 Announced ↩
  21. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2016: Upy 2016 Results Announced ↩
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