{"id":6172,"date":"2022-02-11T05:00:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-11T04:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=111389"},"modified":"2022-02-11T05:19:12","modified_gmt":"2022-02-11T04:19:12","slug":"all-you-need-is-love-the-underwater-photographer-of-the-year-winners","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/all-you-need-is-love-the-underwater-photographer-of-the-year-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"All you need is love: The Underwater photographer of the Year winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By James Cutmore\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 11 February 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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An astounding photo of five whale sharks, feeding together at night in the waters of the Maldives has been named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2022<\/a>. The photograph triumphed over 4,200 underwater pictures entered by underwater photographers from 71 countries. The image captures a unique ocean event, taken in demanding photographic conditions.<\/p>\n

Competition judge, Peter Rowlands, commented; \u201cthis image took my breath away from the first viewing and I never tired coming back to it. Scale, light and the sheer numbers of big subjects, this was, by some distance, our winning image.\u201d<\/p>\n

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools. British photographer Phil Smith was the first underwater Photographer of the Year, named in 1965.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s competition attracts entries from all around the world, has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. This year\u2019s judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.<\/p>\n

We bring you our favourites from this year\u2019s competition winners.<\/p>\n

Giants of the night \u2013 Overall winner & wide-angle category winner<\/h2>\n
\""Whale\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Five whale sharks (Rhincodon typus)\u00a0<\/i>pictured feeding near to the Ari Atoll, Maldives. The whale shark is regarded to be the largest fish species on the planet. Photo by Rafael Fernandez Caballero\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

All you need is love \u2013 \u2018My backyard\u2019 category winner<\/h2>\n
\""Frogs\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Common frogs (Rana temporaria<\/em>) during spawning in Vantaa, Finland. Photo by Pekka Tuuri\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Diamonds and rust \u2013 Most promising winner<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A sea gooseberry (Pleurobrachia pileus<\/em>) swims by Swanage pier, United Kingdom, on a bright afternoon. Photo by Paul Pettitt\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Great white split \u2013 Portrait category runner-up<\/h2>\n
\""Great\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)\u00a0<\/i>photographed off the coast of the North Neptune Islands, Australia. Photo by Matty Smith\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Big appetite \u2013 \u2018Save Our Seas Foundation\u2019 winner<\/h2>\n
\""Anchovy\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Busy anchovy fishing activities off the coast of Hon Yen, Phu Yen province, Vietnam. Photo by Thien Nguyen Ngoc\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Beauty on a red anemone skirt \u2013 \u2018My Backyard\u2019 highly commended<\/h2>\n
\""Gobi\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A beautiful gobi is photographed at the Westside dive site, Fahal Island, sea of Oman, Muscat. Photo by Yazid El Shaari\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Gannet storm \u2013 British waters wide angle category winner<\/h2>\n
\""Gannet\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A northern gannet (Morus bassanus<\/em>) swims in an artistic hail of bubbles created by diving seabirds. Every year, 40,000 gannets visit the cliffs of Shetland, Scotland, United Kingdom,\u00a0to lay and care for a single egg. Hitting the frigid water at incredible speeds, these impressive birds have evolved air sacs in the head and chest to survive these repeated heavy impacts. Photo by Henley Spiers\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Against all odds \u2013 Wide angle category third place<\/h2>\n
\""Baby\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A recently-hatched green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas<\/em>) makes it\u2019s way cautiously through the waters of Heron Island, Australia, as birds circle overhead. Photo by Hannah Le Leu\/UPY 2022<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

More images from BBC Science Focus<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n