UPY 2025

UPY 2016 British Waters Wide Angle - Winner
'Part of the Illusion'
Marcus Blatchford

The National Dive & Activity Centre is the deepest inland dive centre in the UK. The day the photo was taken, the dive plan was to bimble around the deep end, a dive we had done many times before but this time I dived "un-plugged" and using no artificial light. With the exception of a variation of camera technique, there were no planned shots either my buddy or I wanted to achieve - just a fun dive with ad-hoc photos along the way. Shortly after this photo was captured, in 6 degree water and 2 hours of decompression ahead of us, we turned and started the long ascent back to the surface.

Judge's comment: Peter Rowlands: Whilst this may have been an 'unplanned' photo dive, these two, the model and the photographer, knew exactly what they were doing either by instinct or design. Graphic simplicity and beautiful composition are the trademark starting points for a winning shot. Add that special light which depth produces and you have a captivating result. Shooting at such a depth "un-plugged" without artificial light has introduced some image noise but, as far as I'm concerned, this only adds to the mood. A well deserved winner.