See the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 Winners

Alvaro Herrero has been named the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year. The Spanish photog earned the honor for his shot of a mother humpback whale with her newborn calf. His photo, titled “Radiant Bond” and taken in French Polynesia, beat out some 6,700 submissions from around the globe.

“The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy,” Herrero said in a press release. “The calf is releasing a few bubbles underwater showing it is still learning to hold its breath properly. For me, this photo really shows a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean.”

Contest judge Peter Rowlands added: “This delicate yet powerful study of a mother and calf’s bond says all that is great and good about our world. We face our challenges, but the increasing populations of humpback whales worldwide shows what can be achieved.”

Established in 1965, the U.K.-based competition “celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools,” per the release. In addition to the overall title, winners are selected in 13 categories, including Coral Reefs, Behavior, Black and White, and British Underwater Photographer of the Year.

The latter honor went to David Alpert for his photo “The Curious Seal,” which pushes back against the misconceptions that British waters are “murky and lifeless,” the release reads.

“My photo is from Lundy Island, a marine protected area since 1973,” Alpert explained. “British seals are delightfully curious, more interactive than any other species I have dived with around the world. Briefly, I become one of the privileged few, crossing the bridge, able to make a connection with a wild animal.”

“This image is truly a stunner,” judge Tobias Friedrich said of the shot. “It is well framed in the sea weeds and has beautiful light beams so evocative of shallow waters. The composition is completed by the inquisitive look. An excellent portrait.”

Check out more of the winners below, and see the complete list here.