UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Wide Angle - Runner Up
'Grayling in summer sunlight'
Paul Colley

I've been photographing Grayling for some years now and my intent is always to create memorable images of UK river life to support the conservation of wildlife and habitat. Both are under threat from over-abstraction of water, unsustainable land development and sewage dumping. The combination of a cooperative fish and strong natural light is often elusive, but on this day it clicked. I usually use remote control cameras, but this was a traditional approach, getting into the river with waders and waiting patiently for the fish to approach. To help composition, I used a remote screen above water to relay a live feed from a GoPro mounted above my main camera.

Judge's comment: Freshwater subjects and their environments are often perceived as less attractive than their marine counterparts but when shot like this they excel. - Peter Rowlands