Hydration. Photo Abdulaziz Al Saleh/UPY 2025. All photos courtesy of UPY, shared with permissionThe Underwater Photographer of the Year Celebrates 60 Years of Wildlife DiversityFebruary 28, 2025NaturePhotographyJackie AndresEntering its 60th year, the Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest continues to be one of the most noteworthy international photography competitions. Surpassing last years numbers, the 2025 edition received more than 6,750 entries with winners from around 30 different countries.From the depths of the Red Sea to the swamps of the Everglades, the noteable images take viewers on a journey across the world, highlighting the diversity of ocean wildlife and emphasizing the importance of conservation. Diver and photographer Alvaro Herrero, a.k.a. Mekan, snagged the top honor this cycle with Radiant Bond. Off the coast of Moorea, a young whale still learning to breathe travels to the surface with its mother.Radiant Bond. Photo Alvaro Herrero (Mekan)/UPY 2025Among the other winning snapshots are scenes of two Asian sheepshead wrasse fighting in Japan, teeming coral reefs in Indonesia, a distorted portrait of camels hydrating in Kuwait, and a Florida gar circling its swampy habitat.Read the context behind each photo and see more on UPYs website.Fluo Spiny Squat Lobster. Photo James Lynott/UPY 2025Kaleidoscope of Colour. Photo Catherine Holmes/UPY 2025The Beauty of the Swamp. Photo Bryant Turffs/UPY 2025Ethereal Moonscape. Photo Alvaro Herrero (Mekan)/UPY 2025Chasing Dolphins. Photo Enric Gener/UPY 2025A Frondly Snoot Boop. Photo Patrick Webster/UPY 2025Face Off. Photo Shunsuke Nakano/UPY 2025New Moon Madness. Photo Joost van Uffelen/UPY 2025Next article