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UPY 2026 Portrait - Commended
'Capybara'
George Kao
Shattering the docile stereotype, this image reveals the capybara's hidden power beneath the surface. To capture this upward angle against Snell's Window, I pushed my settings to the limit: fastest shutter speed and smallest aperture to tame the backlight, balanced by maximum 250W strobe power to illuminate the dark fur.
Applying the rigorous standards I use for high-speed action in Magdalena Bay, I pre-set Full Auto Focus, trusting the algorithm to track erratic movement. This freed me to focus on composition via an external monitor. When the animal suddenly dashed overhead like a Manta Ray, my freediving instincts kicked in to intercept its path—a split-second intersection of rigid technical discipline and wild, explosive freedom.
Judge's comment: A new subject to the UPY judges always creates excitement, even if in what looks like captive conditions. This charismatic portrait of a new subject was a favourite with all the judges right from the start. I can’t help but wonder if it would have been even better if all the whiskers were in frame? Nit picking, I know, but I still wonder.
Peter Rowlands
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