UPY 2025

UPY  Macro - Third
'Double Pygmy'
Byron Conory

I always like when a common subject that has been photographed a lot is shot in a different way, I decided to dedicate a number of dives to shooting Pygmy seahorses for this reason. After exploring all the sites in Lembeh we found one fan that had 14 of them on, I decided to shoot it with a snoot, manual focus, a long exposure and a lot of Intentional camera movement with the aim being able to light and freeze the seahorses and blur the environment around them, with the bonus of being able to create a rich blue background as opposed to the normal black backgrounds.

Judge's comment: Commonly photographed subjects have to be captured in a new way to catch the judges’ eye and this is a perfect example. Excellent use of lighting and movement to create a stand out image with a dream like quality. Highly original.
Peter Rowlands