UPY 2025

UPY 2017 British Waters Compact - Highly Commended
'Wolf Fish'
Paula Bailey

I love seeking out wolf fish, and as my husband and I dive St Abbs every year I am pretty good at it now, I recognise the cracks that are likely to inhabit. I love them as a subject because they have so much character, and similarl to the lobster they are a great size for a compact with a built-in flash, allowing them to compete with SLR pictures. If you approach slowly they are often quite stationary too. The older ones with the very uneven teeth are my favourite.

Judge's comment: Peter Rowlands: The simple secret with compact photography underwater is, as Paula says, go for subjects of a certain size at a certain distance so the flash can do its job. Here is a perfect example.