The 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year

Our titlephoto of two male Asian sheepshead wrasse fighting. The unique form of this species is characteristic of males, who form harems and claim territories during the breeding season. The one on the left in the photo 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 one on the right is a young challenger.  This photo madeby Shunsuke Nakano, won in the category Behaviour

The competition spans 13 different categories, pushing photographers from around the world to capture the magic of the underwater world - from intricate macro details to dramatic wide-angle scenes.

With a record-breaking 7,000 submissions from over 600 photographers, this year’s contest highlights the growing fascination with underwater visual storytelling.

This year, Spanish photographer Álvaro Herrero has won the overall Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 title with his mesmerising shot titled "Radiant Bond" - showing a heartwarming glimpse into the world of a mother humpback whale and her newborn calf.

                                   The Hitch Hiker by Dan Bolt (British Waters Macro, winner)

Dan Bolt said about his photo: "Occasionally in my time under the water I have come across this medusa ‘Neoturris pileata’ in the open water but had not taken a decent photo of one. On this occasion however, my buddy and I were specifically targeting them and other similar creatures to try to explore the idea of UK ‘blackwater’ photographic opportunities. Of the many, many(!), images I took that day, this one revealed a larval crustacean within the bell of this medusa."