UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Macro - Runner Up
'Hello!'
Dan Bolt

The low-lying reef on this site is home to as many as a dozen of these beautiful male Corkwing wrasse busily building theirs nests in the spring and early summer. They will spend weeks building the nest by cropping nearby seaweeds and placing them in a rocky crevis with their mouths. If they are lucy enough to attract a female, for a few weeks after mating they will defend the nest and keep the eggs clean and fresh by blowing and wafting water over them constantly.
This individual was happy to ignore me after a careful approach, and spent over an hour just sitting and observing his behaviour. This allowed me to get very close to him indeed without being a disturbance, such a privilege!

Judge's comment: This image is getting better and better the longer you look at it. It's not just the colors, but also the eye contact of the fish and the excellent composition that really drags you into it. Kudus to the photographer who spent such a long time waiting for the animal and finally getting the shot. Patience pays off! :-) - Tobias Friedrich