UPY 2025

UPY  Portrait - Third
'A Frondly Snoot Boop'
Patrick Webster

The giant kelp forests of the Falkland Islands are among the lushest algal amphitheaters anywhere in the coldwater world. Their prodigious productivity supports a plethora of awesome aquatic animals, including this rambunctiously curious South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens).
Initially intrigued by this vibrant sea forest tucked away off the West Falkland archipelago, my dive buddies and I quickly found ourselves the center of a passing pride’s attention. An exuberant young male, with small scars of missing whiskers, looking so much like adolescent acne, on his face-forward personality, began his investigation slowly. Then suddenly was right in our faces, poking, prodding and jawing his way into figuring out what exactly was this bubbly beast barking in his backyard. I spent the next hour entranced in his analytical dance, this frame capturing the awesome-if-awkward aura of a youngster well on his way to commanding all that the light touches from his far-flung frondly Falklandic fortress.

Judge's comment: Such a quality portrait! It made everyone of us smile when we saw the image. Excellent capture by the photographer and very well lit, which is not easy when the seals are coming so close. The background really completes the image adding overall balanced. Another strong contender in a high quality category.

Tobias Friedrich