UPY 2025

UPY 2018 British Waters Compact - Runner Up
'Intertwined Mute Swans'
Ian Wade

I've been photographing mute swans underwater for a few years now in different locations in Bristol & Somerset. I wanted to achieve a split level shot with entry-level equipment (GoPro Hero 5 Black & Telesin 6 inch dome port). The Dome Port is a great way to achieve split-level photography with an action camera. On this particular day at the Floating harbour in central Bristol, two mute swans came over to investigate me on a pontoon. Visibility isn't great at this location so I had to find an area of shallower water to start taking pictures. I put my camera half above the water and half below to get that split level effect and started taking photos. Luckily for me, the two swans intertwined their necks as they were feeding and I managed to achieve and intimate shot of swans underwater in an urban location.

Judge's comment: I'm drawn to the depth in this image with the close dominant swan almost popping out of the frame. The harbour wall provides additional depth perspective as the contours of the wall recede into a moody grey sky. A very strong image in the British water compact category. Martin Edge