UPY 2025

UPY  Marelux Wide Angle - Highly Commended
'March of the Tadpoles'
Shane Gross

It was my partner and I's first time visiting this lake on the advice of a friend. The first few hours of snorkelling were not very exciting (but very chilly), however, the amount of western toad tadpoles migrating from the depths of the lake to the shallows slowly grew. By late afternoon there were millions of the tadpoles in the sunlit shallows feeding on algae among the lily pads. My goal was to try and tell as much of the story as possible in one frame where we see, of course, the cute little animals, but also the lily pads and the forest covered mountains in the background.

Judge's comment: The wriggling bodies of tadpoles gyrate across Shane’s transportive composition inviting us into their world at their scale. This image is a masterclass in immersive photography.
Alex Mustard