UPY 2025

UPY  Portrait - Winner
'Hydration'
Abdulaziz Al Saleh

I had the idea of photographing the camels drinking water for about one and half a years. I wanted to photograph them drinking water from the underwater perspective because I did not see any images showing this. The weather was a critical, and it took me several weeks to get the best possible shots. The first week the camels were a bit hesitant to drink water while my camera was under the water and only few gathered to drink, which is not what i wanted. But after several days the camels had already accepted to me and my equipment.
After my first week of shooting the Camels, I changed to electronic synch cords for my strobes instead of fibre-optic cables because of problems. And finally the shots came together.

Judge's comment: Such a joyous image and a portrait of camels certainly took us by pleasant surprise. Great eye contact, well chosen angle and surface distortions gives you plenty to look at and the lower, childlike, cheeky mouth adds a heartwarming finale to a quality photograph, which is much more than just an eye-catching subject.

Peter Rowlands