UPY 2025

UPY  Up & Coming - Highly Commended
'Where the Light Doesn't Reach'
Luke Coley

I have been living and working in Mexico’s Rivera Maya for several years, where we are blessed with a huge variety of underwater shooting opportunities. My attention has been primarily captured by the area’s cenotes; flooded sink holes that often lead to vast cave systems, with perfect water clarity that allows for incredible light effects. This particular cenote is far off the beaten path, and I wanted to capture the feeling of exploration; of descending into the unknown. All the elements had to align; the exact time of day to get the strongest and most direct sunbeam, the perfect buoyancy and breath control of the model for minimal bubbles, and us both with the right positioning and depth. My goal was to freeze a moment in time within an environment frozen in time, leaving room for discovery within the darkness where the light doesn't reach.

Judge's comment: Looking almost like a sci-fi effect, this is actually a totally natural scene of a stunning shaft of light burning down into the clear waters of huge cenote. The diver perfects the composition, revealing the scale and providing a narrative.
Alex Mustard