UPY 2025

UPY  British Waters Macro - Commended
'Three's a Crowd'
Ryan Stalker

I had been waiting for the sea hares to return on mass like they do every year in May/June to try and get some interesting shots of them. I dived Newton's Cove not expecting them to have arrived just yet. But they were there and had arrived in large numbers. Sea hare mating season had started and I had the wrong lens on. The next day I returned all set up with the right lens to see what I could photograph. I used a Nauticam EMWL lens to get that close focus wide angle perspective of these three sea hares mating. Sea hares often mate in chains with each individual acting as either male or female. This image is of a group of three with the large one looking straight into the camera lens.

Judge's comment: I am a sucker for behaviour shots, but this picture is also visually powerful and a great story-teller, showing the sea hares in their habitat. Totally worth the return trip with the specialist lens to create this winning image.

Alex Mustard