UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Macro - Winner
'Like Water for Silk'
Laura Storm

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been photographing British freshwater habitats underwater. One of the stories that has captivated me is that of the Common frog. During its lifetime it has an estimated 0.25% chance of survival. It morphs like no other creature and along the way, experiences the most fantastic journey.
This tiny Common froglet is less than 1cm in length. It is so weightless it can balance on single, silken stands of Spirogyra. These algae filaments, an abundant and vital first link in freshwater food webs, reproduce rapidly leading to thousands of individual strands. They are a simple life form which combine into a tangled labyrinth known as water silk.
To highlight the water silk habitat, I used two off-camera lights strategically placed. One to help light the tiny froglet and the other to allow the tangle of algae strands to shine through.

Judge's comment: Flawless composition, the eye of the frog and the back left leg illustrate the time old ‘rule of thirds’. But you have gone one step extra by using your two off- camera lights to creatively light both the frog and the algae all at the same time. Very deserved winner of British Waters Macro.
- Martin Edge