UPY 2025

UPY  Compact - Highly Commended
'Chromatic Dance'
Andrea Michelutti

The radial filefish is a stunning creature with its unique patterns and its ability to camouflage among corals. A feature that makes it even more fascinating, but also quite challenging to photograph. To ensure the fish's vivid colours did not blend into the background, I used a slow shutterspeed technique combined with precise snoot backlighting and a rapid camera movement.
This techniques not only highlighted the striking coloration of the filefish but also conveyed the dynamic essence of its underwater habitat. The effect gives the impression of a dance, capturing the graceful movement and fluidity of the filefish the backdrop.

Judge's comment: What a nice combination of subject and usage of color. It is a pleasure to look at this color combination, especially with the small Xenia coral polyps that really make such an attractive background! If the fish would swim in the other direction, I know it's hard to capture it in this situation, it could have placed right at the top.

Tobias Friedrich