HEARTWARMING MOMENT BETWEEN WHALE AND HER CALF WINS UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR

A magical teaching moment between a mother humpback whale and her calf earned Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year award. The image was taken in French Polynesia and shows the mama whale accompanying the calf to the surface for a breathing exercise.

"A heartwarming interaction between mother and baby, in a perfectly timed pose of both majestic animals looking so comfortable in their underwater home," says competition judge Alex Mustard, who is also an acclaimed underwater photographer. "The photograph invites us to observe while giving the whales their space, both in the frame and away from the photographer. The spearing light is dramatic, but the shadow the calf casts on its mother is subtle. Mekan won the title of Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year in 2022 with the saddest of humpback images; this uplifting family portrait serves as a perfect.

Herrero won over 6,750 underwater photos submitted by photographers from all over the world. Other notable images include Ruruka's imaginative photograph of a cenote sinkhole in Mexico. The colorful image, titled Underwater Aurora, earned the Korean photographer the title of 2025 Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year.

"It takes about 24 hours by plane to get here from where I live," Ruruka says. "But the journey is worthwhile because this one-of-a-kind setting perfectly complements the images I'm attempting to produce." Beyond awarding beautiful images of marine life, the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest recognizes the challenges they face. This is evident in the devastating image of a dead tiger shark being carried by Indonesian fishermen captured by German photographer Robert Marc Lehmann. The photograph earned him the title 2025 Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year.

"The composition is immersive, and the timing, which captures the fisherman's gesture, is crucial," says Mustard. "Although it's a common occurrence and legal almost everywhere, the man reaching out to stop the photo reveals how his conscience feels about what they're doing. A picture that transports you directly into the story." Scroll down to see more stunning images from the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, and then visit the official website to view all of the finalists.