Marlin, Swamp Systems

UPY  Behavior – Runner Up
‘The Moment’
Eduardo Acevedo

November-December at Magdalena Bay in Baja California, are the best months to try and gets good encounters with blue marlin. However, getting strong images of these fish in wild life is very difficult because they attack the sardines and mackerels and very high speed, making it extremely difficult to capture this behavior in a photo.

Judge’s comment: This photo is all about moment, as the blue marlin pounces and the terrified school scatters. We loved that the photographer was mindful to include such a beautiful reflection in the composition, despite the briefness of the photographic opportunity.

Alex Mustard

UPY  Compact – Winner
‘The Beauty of the Swamp’
Bryant Turffs

I captured this image at one of my favorite locations within the Everglades ecosystem. Historically, I primarily dove in saltwater, but I have become enamored by this foreboding environment, with clear waters, light filtering through cypress trees, and the fish species, both native and introduced. I have revisited this spot many times trying to capture various subjects and the light just right. The water levels vary significantly, sometimes completely drying, during different times of year. The fish species are in constant flux, and this location is often dominated by exotics. Ironically, on this occasion, I hadn’t invested too much thought and I was enjoying the scenery when this Florida Gar positioned itself perfectly in the frame of my GoPro.

Judge’s comment: A stunning three dimensional composition placing this rarely seen Florida gar in its swamp habitat. It is, quite frankly, amazing that this image is shot with a simple GoPro camera demonstrating how many people already have all the gear that they need to capture beautiful underwater photos.