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Close-Up Photography Reveals Hidden Worlds
6 Feb
Summary
- An underwater coral image won the top prize in the competition.
- Mayflies returned to the Danube River, highlighting improved water quality.
- An invasive moth and frog species were also featured subjects.
The seventh edition of the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition received over 12,000 entries from 63 countries, celebrating nature's hidden marvels. Ross Gudgeon's underwater photograph of a cauliflower soft coral, titled 'Fractal Forest,' earned him the top prize of £2,500. This winning image captured a unique perspective of the coral's intricate structure in Indonesia's Lembeh Strait.
The competition also featured images with environmental significance. 'Blue Army,' by Imre Potyó, documented the spectacular return of endangered Danube mayflies to Hungary's Danube River in the summer of 2024, a resurgence likely due to improved water quality after pollution had diminished their numbers.
Other notable entries included images of invasive species. Pedro Luna photographed a box tree moth in Catalonia, Spain, while 14-year-old Jameson Hawkins-Kimmel captured a Cuban tree frog in his Florida backyard, an area where this species is considered invasive. The award celebrated diverse subjects, from arachnids to fungi, showcasing the depth and breadth of close-up photography.
