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Stunning images from the underwater photographer of the year
Discover the impressive winning images of the “Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025” competition. Learn about the touching bond between a mother humpback whale and her calf.
Stunning images from the underwater photographer of the year
In 2025, the most impressive underwater photographs were honored in the “Underwater Photographer of the Year” competition. The winning images include fighting fish, thirsty camels and hairy shrimp.
Winning photo: The connection between mother and calf
Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero was named overall winner. His standout image depicts the relationship between a humpback whale and her newborn calf and is titled “Radiant Bond.” Herrero took the impressive photo in French Polynesia. In a statement, Herrero said: "The mother accompanies her calf to the surface as the baby is still so small and clumsy. The calf produces a few bubbles underwater, showing that it is still learning how to take a proper breath. To me, this photo shows a mother's love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our oceans."
Over 6,750 posts and a powerful message
The image beat out an impressive 6,750 entries this year. Peter Rowlands, one of the competition's judges, said: "This delicate but powerful study of the bond between mother and calf embodies everything great and good in our world. We face challenges, but the increasing populations of humpback whales worldwide show what can be achieved."
Category winners and the history of the competition
Other winning images include a photo of two male Asian sheepshead jacks wrestling with each other, taken by Japanese photographer Shunsuke Nakano. Equally impressive is the photo of camels drinking in the desert sand from a water perspective, captured by Kuwaiti photographer Abdulaziz Al Saleh. The competition first took place in 1965 and this year attracted participants from 13 different categories.
Looking back at past winners
In 2024, Alex Dawson was named overall winner for his image of minke whale bones in the shallow waters off the east coast of Greenland. And in 2023, American Kat Zhou's photo of a river dolphin, or "boto," seemingly posing for the camera at sunset was crowned the winner of the competition.