Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025: Humpback Whale Mother and Calf Win Top Prize in Stunning Marine Life Competition

The Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 competition has announced its winners, showcasing breathtaking images of marine life. The top prize went to Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero for his photo "Radiant Bond," capturing a humpback whale mother guiding her calf to the surface for its first breath in French Polynesia. The competition, celebrating its 60th year, featured entries from 28 countries.

Herrero's winning shot highlights the bond between mother and calf, emphasizing the fragility and beauty of our oceans. Other notable winners include Ruruka from Korea, who won the "Emerging Photographer" category with a photo of a diver in a Mexican cave resembling an underwater aurora. Joost van Uffelen from the Netherlands secured third place in the "Wide Angle" category with a shot of manta rays feeding in Hanifaru Bay, Maldives.

Henley Spiers received a special mention in the "Behavior" category for capturing two blue dragons feeding on a colony of blue buttons, a rare and stunning sight. Yazid Shaari from Libya captured a pair of Arabian Gulf sea snakes engaged in a mating ritual, earning praise for the composition and technical quality of the image.