UPY 2025

UPY  Up & Coming - Commended
'Kelp Bliss'
Christine Hartley

Giant kelp grows in stalks using holdfasts to attach to the rocky ocean floor. Small bladders on each blade allow the stalk to float, continuously reaching towards the surface in search of sunlight. Once a stalk reaches the surface it will continue to grow, eventually covering the surface with a canopy of kelp, creating breathtaking underwater forests. On this November day, the ocean was the calmest I have ever experienced in Southern California. There was no current, no surge, no real movement at all. The water was crystal clear, as clear and blue as the sky above. These days are rare and I wanted to capture the pure bliss and beauty of this pristine moment in the kelp forest.

Judge's comment: An inviting and celebratory shot of a beautiful day in a forest of super seaweed. I want to dive right into this scene. We loved how the blades of the kelp mirror the beams from the sun, and how the stalks in the distance add a three dimensionality to the composition.

Alex Mustard