UPY 2023

UPY  Marelux Wide Angle - Winner
'Fade'
J. Gregory Sherman

My dive partner and I chartered a boat to arrive at Stingray City on Grand Cayman before dawn so as to capture the morning light and undisturbed sand ripples. Just as the sun broke the horizon, a line of southern stingrays headed straight for me and I captured this image as they glided across the sand. Using a large dome port allowed me to create a split image showing the intensely colorful dawn sky contrasted against the nearly monochromatic stingrays and sand beneath the surface chop.

Judge's comment: The planning and the early start were rewarded by perfect stingray behaviour topped with the dynamic split shot of a dramatic sky. This image, quite rightly, went right to the wire as the possible overall winner. A week after the judging, I loved looking at this image again.
Peter Rowlands