3 - Underwater Photographer of the Year

UPY Portrait - Third
'Aquatic Primate'
Suliman Alatiqi

During fieldwork at Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, spanning several weeks, I focused my efforts on documenting the behaviour of the crab-eating macaques, in particularly their water forages. The macaques have adapted very well to living around the sea and will venture into the water for various reasons including transportation, scavenging, cooling down and playing. Highly efficient swimmers, they can dive for up to half a minute and can cover short distances faster than most humans. This photo offers a rare glimpse of the swimming movement of a male macaque.

Judge's comment: An unusual subject will always stand out but, once the visual novelty has worn off, the image must work if it is to progress. Here the eye contact is immediate and the look of concentration compelling.
Peter Rowlands

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