UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Macro - Commended
'Tompot Blues'
James Emery

Tompot Blennies are common and often a favourite subject to photograph across the south coast of the UK. I wanted to use the same techniques that I like to experiment with in Lembeh, using slow shutter snooted whip pans. This technique usually allows the ambient light to form a blurred pattern, but in the green waters of the UK it is not always aesthetically pleasing. By adding the Backscatter MW4300 video light with a blue coloured filter to light the surrounding background, I created a more pleasing colour contrast to make the subject pop.

Judge's comment: Very well done image, especially in times when you can't travel much, to try techniques in different waters. This is one of the very few excellent slow shutter speed and colored macro images. - Tobias Friedrich