UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Wide Angle - Commended
'Seal pups'
Grant Thomas

The Farne islands in the UK are one of the best places in the world to dive with Grey seals and this is largely due to the fact that they are protected under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. This has allowed the seal population to grow enormously and it’s now estimated that there are more than 120,000 grey seals in Britain, representing 40% of the world’s population. Being very interacted and playful, they are a photographers dream animal. In this particular instance we were about to surface and finish our dive when i noticed two young seals rolling around, playing near the surface. As I brought my camera up to to my eye, the late afternoon sun burst through the clouds, creating a wonderful display of golden light beams. All I had to do was wait for that perfect moment as their eyes met mine.

Judge's comment: Seal shots are common in UPY, but this picture is a real standout capturing the playful character of a pair of youngsters, framed against an attractive, and well controlled sunburst.
- Alex Mustard