9 - Underwater Photographer of the Year

UPY Compact - Commended
'Endemic Elegance: Gasflame Nudibranch'
Kate Jonker

Stone Dog in Gordon’s Bay is a favourite dive site of mine for photographing nudibranchs. I had this image in my mind for a long time and knew the site’s abundance of Bryozoans would provide the perfect setting. Gasflame nudibranchs, Bonisa nakaza, love feeding on Bryozoans, and the combination of the nudibranch’s vibrant yellow and blue against the Bryozoans’ golden tones creates a natural complement of colour and texture.
On this dive, I was fortunate to find a nudibranch perched perfectly on a bryozoan. I used my Inon Z240 and Marelux SOFT Pro snoot to create contrast and isolate the subject. The snoot allowed me to highlight the intricate details of the nudibranch, turning the image I had envisioned into reality. This beautiful nudibranch is endemic to the southern tip of Africa, making it a special find for underwater photographers.

Judge's comment: An intelligent image maximising a compact camera’s capabilities with the snooted light concentrating the eye and the pastel colours complementing the gentle fragility whilst entertaining the viewer.

Peter Rowlands

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