UPY 2024

UPY  Portrait - Runner Up
'Attack from Above'
Jon Anderson

Even more surprising than encountering a bird underwater is having the bird try to attack your camera while hunting for small fish in the kelp forest! Last summer at a popular Monterey dive site, the cormorants seemed to be more active and curious than usual. Knowing this, I planned a dive on a sunny afternoon hoping to catch a cormorant beneath the kelp forest pierced by the afternoon sun. I had numerous cormorants approach me, peck at my head and tank, follow me around, and try to eat my camera. This one paused for a moment, perhaps after the seeing its self-reflection in my dome port, allowing me to capture a head on portrait. Countless species including these cormorants depend on healthy kelp forests to thrive. Unfortunately, local kelp forests have declined by over 80% in size in the last decade due to warmer waters and unchecked predation by urchins.

Judge's comment: Jon’s shot was a favourite of mine in the contest - those eyes are just so sharp. As is the beak! What a character, what a moment, what light. Unforgettable image, surely a UPY classic for years to come.
Alex Mustard