UPY 2025

UPY  Wrecks - Commended
'Sunburst Shipwreck'
Renee Capozzola

This half and half image was shot just before the sun went down behind this shipwreck off Brisbane, Australia. I had spent all afternoon taking images in the shallow waters with the sun overhead and thought it would make a nice picture later in the day when the sun was going to drop behind the wreck. On this particular evening, I was fortunate to have calm water and a clear sky. By using a very small aperture and flash, I was able to capture both the sunburst forming as the sun dropped in the background and the fish in the foreground.

Judge's comment: A former, Underwater Photographer of the Year, Renee is celebrated for her mastery of the split-level image. This image transports me straight to this wreck, with the distinctive bow bathed in evening light, with an attractive school of monos beneath the surface, adding additional interest to the scene.

Alex Mustard