UPY 2025

UPY 2019 Portrait - Highly Commended
'Crab in the stream'
Pietro Formis

A freshwater Crab (Potamon fluviatile) in the waters of an italian river trying to to hide himself among the roots of a tree.
This fragile animal is very sensitive to pollution, human activities, presence of alien species and climate changes, it can only be found in a decreasing number of specific areas.
I used a long shutter speed to obtain the blur effect due to water flowing, combined to strobe lighing to freeze the subject.
I like the combination of colors of this image: green of the vegetation on the background, blue of the water flowing and the warm colour of the subject.

Judge's comment: One of the most beautiful images in the whole competition. Tells a great story of the life of these freshwater crabs. Might have finished even higher in a different category.
Alex Mustard