UPY 2024

UPY 2016 Up & Coming - Third
'The eye of a Butterfly'
Spencer Burrows

Whilst masked butterflyfish are fairly common in the Red Sea, they are quite skittish and often swim away on approach. As I wanted to try and capture this common fish in a different way I had an abstract shot in mind and I felt the eye with its blue and yellow surroundings were key to the shot working. Having failed to get this to work with a standard macro lens, I equipped a tele-converter for additional reach which allowed me to keep my distance from the fish.

Judge's comment: Alex Mustard: Every photographer who has dived in the Red Sea will have photographed the common masked butterflyfish. However, none of the judging panel had ever seen this powerful composition before, captured by Spencer’s original photographic vision. Perhaps the sincerest compliments he will receive about the strength of this composition, is that it is sure to be regularly replicated. Just remember you saw it here first!