Mark Kirkland won the category, in addition to the title of British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021. The goal of the category was to explore the near and normal in pursuit of extraordinary images. With travel generally limited in 2020, the competition added the “My Backyard” category for this year's award.

Alexander Mustard MBE says, “This is a photograph of hope, a glimpse of how the ocean can be when we give it a chance, thriving with spectacular life both below and above the surface.”įor the judges and many photographers, the images submitted come from adventures over a very unique year. According to Capozzola, “I dedicated several evenings to photographing in the shallows at sunset, and I was finally rewarded with this scene: glass-calm water, a rich sunset, sharks and even birds.” The judges have showered the image with praise for its immaculate lighting and composition. She captured her winning shot, titled Sharks’ Skylight, in her favorite location to photograph sharks. In addition to the top prize, Capozzola won the Wide Angle category and is the first female overall winner of the UPY competition.

The fascinating image showing reef sharks gliding under the surface of the sea in French Polynesia captivated the judges. In addition to being ranked within their categories, photographers vie for titles such as Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year and Marine Conservation of the Year Award. This year's winning images capture stunning views from the warm waters of French Polynesia to the urban ponds of Glasgow.Īfter receiving over 4,500 entries from 68 different countries, the competition awarded the title of Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 to American photographer Renee Capozzola. Some are also specific to British waters. These categories are primarily based on stylistic and technical aspects-including Macro, Portrait, and Wide Angle. Over 500 international photographers competed to submit the top images across 14 categories (two of which can include above-water views). Over the past five years, the competition has grown immensely. Mustard and Rowlands were joined by Martin Edge as judges in that first competition. The UPY began in 2014-15 when Alex Mustard, Dan Bolt, and Peter Rowlands decided to revive a grand British tradition of underwater photography competitions.

Underwater dog photography