UPY 2025

UPY  Wrecks - Winner
'Chieftain Tanks'
Martin Broen

Together with an amazing group of photographers I had the honor to be invited to compete in the 1st Aqaba underwater photo competition in Jordan, where a highlight is the underwater military museum. An unusual sight of war machines sunk in 15 to 28 meters of water and stationed along the reefs in tactical battle formation.
I wanted to capture the symmetry of the Chieftain Tanks and strong presence of their 120mm guns, but the position where I could shoot that image with my fish-eye lens was occupied by a military ambulance. Therefore, I experimented with a 6 shot panorama from a point between the guns, which allowed me to recreate the virtual position further back, and achieve and elegant symmetry of the tanks, supported by the central focal point of my dive buddy in the back.

Judge's comment: This worked for me in a big way and still does very much. The panorama choice - position and lens - emphasises the barrels and the twin torch model could be a support helicopter. The skill with panoramas is envisaging the end result. This powerful image works on several levels and was my clear favourite in this category and overall. In today’s troubled times, it is uplifting to see the apparatus of war put to peaceful use.
Peter Rowlands