UPY 2025

UPY 2017 British Waters Macro - Highly Commended
'Squat lobster quadrille'
Becky Hitchin

Long-clawed squat lobsters (Munida rugosa) are a common sight in the Scottish sea lochs, usually shooting backwards at great speed into dark crevices at the first sign of a camera being raised. It became an ongoing competition with myself to take some photographs of these squat lobsters that were not the standard and obvious pose of "close up and face on, claws extended". When I took this photograph, it was the first dive I'd ever done at this particular site, and my buddy and I descended through the first few cold metres to almost immediately light up these two squat lobsters with our torches. They really did look as if they were dancing elegantly along the sea floor, lost to their own rhythm.

Judge's comment: Alex Mustard: It's a ten from Len. Loved by all the judges. To the scientist it shows fascinating behaviour, to everyone else these two should be on Strictly Come Dancing.