UPY 2026 Coral Reefs - Commended

UPY 2026 Coral Reefs - Commended
'Shimmering Reef'
Catherine Holmes

In the early morning light at Shark Reef, the coral reef is a masterpiece of motion and color. As the nutrient-rich current picks up speed, the soft corals fully bloom, their translucent polyps stretching out to feed in the rush of water. A vibrant cloud of Red Sea Anthias dart in and out for protection, creating a shimmering golden halo around the reef. Swimming hard against the fast moving current to capture all the elements at their best was challenging, but in this protected marine sanctuary, the sheer abundance of life is breathtaking. The fish and corals are at their most brilliant, in the brief, perfect window where the strong current, the light, and the marine protected ecosystem align to create a glowing, kaleidoscopic display of nature at its finest. I have mirrored the coral reef wall image in post production photoshop to create maximum impact.

Judge's comment: Very creative and great idea how to make something more out of an amazing image! Turning it into vertical makes me think that it almost looks like a totem pole with faces forming though the mirroring. Well done!

Tobias Friedrich