UPY 2025

UPY  Coral Reefs - Highly Commended
'Shark Night'
Joe Daniels

Whilst everyone at the lodge was finishing their evening meal and turning in for the night I was gearing up for an unforgettable dive. Fakarava Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve and is home to some of the healthiest shark populations anywhere in the world. Drifting through the South Pass among walls of grey reef sharks is a truly mind blowing experience. This experience can only be topped by diving in the pass at night. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly to most) I was the only one who wanted to do the night dive that night. My guide's Machou, Lola and I slipped into the inky blackness to be surrounded by the grey reefs and whitetip reef sharks, too numerous to count, emerging in and out of our torch light. Slowing down my shutter speed I was able to capture the movement and ethereal atmosphere of the dive.

Judge's comment: Very good idea of the photographer to shoot a night dive with sharks, I assume in Cocos, with a long exposure of the camera. Usually we have only seen these shots during the day and it was quite refreshing to have such a nice image taken at a different spot. Well done to think about that technique during that dive.

Tobias Friedrich