UPY 2026 Wide Angle - Commended

UPY 2026 Wide Angle - Commended
'Contact'
Dan Taylor

What began as an exploratory dive at Gordo Banks, a couple of deep underwater seamounts five miles off the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, became an unforgettable encounter. Out of the blue, two humpback whales appeared, moving together in a slow, intimate courtship dance. Their massive bodies grazed and touched as they circled one another. Even during this behaviour, they sought our presence. At times, their gentle movements carried them far beyond sight, only to repeatedly return moments later.
As our paths crossed again, their movements became so intertwined it was hard to distinguish one from the other. In a fleeting moment, one turned beneath its companion, slowly and elegantly extending its enormous pectoral fin. Its gaze met mine, brief and unmistakable. Suspended in the water, there was no sense of scale or time, only contact, trust, and the quiet privilege of being acknowledged by something so vast.

Judge's comment: Stunning encounter and what a memorising moment! Excellent capture by the photographer to shoot in the very right moment where both whales are in perfect synchronisation!

Tobias Friedrich