UPY 2025

UPY  Macro - Runner Up
'City of Angels'
David Alpert

Just hours before they are due to hatch – these anemone fish embryos stare out into the world beyond. Their large eyes give a sense of foreboding for what lies beyond. Around spring tide, with water volumes at their greatest, a couple hours after dusk, for maximum protection from predators, they will be cast adrift onto the ocean currents to try to navigate their way through to adulthood.
All are male. They will hope to establish themselves with an anemone to form a symbiotic relationship. Only the dominant male will breed with the single female, the largest in the group. When she dies, he will alter his sex to become the next breeding female. And so the cycle is complete - in balance - but first they must hatch – getting close now - will it be tonight? Yes – the day after I took this picture they were gone.

Judge's comment: Very nice composition of this difficult subject and excellent technique used. It's super sharp and I love how the photographer used the background as a bokeh. - Tobias Friedrich