UPY 2024

UPY  Marelux Wide Angle - Third
'Twilight smile'
Rodolphe Guignard

In 2011, the Bahamas declared its waters a "shark sanctuary". Off the island of Grand Bahama, I witnessed several unforgettable encounters. At dusk, several dozen lemon sharks rise from the depths and surround the dive boat. Perched on the swim-step with my body half-submerged, I set out to take split shots. On this day the sea was rough, it was almost dark, and the sharks were lively and very curious, not hesitating to come into contact with my housing! In these light conditions, I replaced my strobes with 2 headlamps to ensure continuous light. I used the burst mode coupled with a fast shutter speed to better freeze the movement. With a lot of patience and luck, I was able to capture some very close-up shots, and highlight the magnificent colours of the sunset. A striking face-to-face encounter!

Judge's comment: Atmospheric lighting below the surface perfectly complements a dramatic sunset in this magnificently moody lemon shark portrait. The grin and the eye contact inject a sinister undercurrent to the picture.
Alex Mustard