UPY 2025

UPY  Wide Angle - Commended
'Shark Ballet'
Fabrice Dudenhofer

This photo is titled “The Shark Ballet” to highlight the graceful movement of these predators. It was taken in Wayag, in the northern part of the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.
Wayag is the iconic postcard image of the region, with its chain of karst islets covered in lush vegetation, scattered across turquoise lagoons bordered by pristine white sand.
On this beach, you only need to wade in up to your waist to see blacktip reef sharks swimming around you. Initially, I envisioned a split-shot image, inspired by Polynesia, but I chose instead to play with the reflections on the surface, enhanced by the overcast sky that accentuated the contrast.
It was an unique and unforgettable experience, and another opportunity to show that it is possible to share a moment with these wild animals without any danger!

Judge's comment: Raja Ampat was once rife with shark finning. On my early visits there I never saw a shark. Seeing these blacktips thriving in the shallows is such an uplifting sight. We loved the reflection and the timing of shot, capturing this compelling composition.

Alex Mustard