Humpback Whales Swimming in Sync Wins Underwater Photo Competition

Jan 16, 2026

Matt Growcoot

Two humpback whales swim side by side underwater with sunlight streaming through the blue water, illuminating their bodies and fins. — First place in the Wide-Angle category and DPG Grand Master 2025 – ‘A pair of humpback whales swims in synchronicity off the French Polynesian island of Mo’orea. Every year, migrating humpback whales from the Southern Hemisphere journey to Mo’orea to use its warm waters as a nursery and resting ground. These two humpbacks are always seen together, and I was fortunate to capture this rare moment in which they mirrored each other’s position and movement almost perfectly.’ | Yuka Takahashi / UnderwaterCompetition.com

The winners of the Dive Photo Guide (DPG) Masters Underwater Imaging Competition 2025 have been announced. The contest invited submissions to nine image categories and one video category, and more than 2,000 entries were received from underwater photographers and filmmakers from around the world.

This year’s overall winner is Yuka Takahashi, who topped the Wide Angle category with her breathtaking image of two humpback whales swimming side by side in synchronicity. Captured while snorkeling off the island of Mo’orea in French Polynesia, the winning image earns the Japanese photographer the prestigious title “DPG Grand Master 2025.”

The winners of the other categories are: Sunbong Jung (Macro), Chris Gug (Traditional), Karyll Gonzalez (Unrestricted), Anton Sorokin (Over-Under), James Ferrara (Conservation), Francesco Visintin (Cold Water), Manuel Wüthrich (Compact), Tom Shlesinger (Portfolio), and Fabien Michenet (Short Film).

A close-up of a tube anemone underwater, displaying long, white, flowing tentacles radiating outward against a blue background. A small, colorful crab is nestled at the base of the anemone. — First place in the Traditional category – Indonesia: ‘On the way back up a deep, sandy muck slope, at 25 feet, I saw my 30th tube anemone of the dive, and I habitually—obsessively—inspect each and every one for symbionts. The prize I was looking for wasn’t just present but perched in the perfect spot, looking like the ruler of its domain. Before beginning to shoot, I knew I wanted a blue background rather than black, so I slowed the shutter speed. Since I had to be quite far back for this composition with my 105mm macro lens, I moved my strobes all the way forward to try to minimize backscatter. Then the challenge was getting a crisp shot at 1/25s (since I’m an ISO noise snob) as the anemone swayed back and forth in the current. So, much to the chagrin of my housing’s already-gritty O-rings, I braced the housing in the sand as a poor excuse for a tripod. I checked this anemone each time I repeated this site over the next few weeks, and the crab was never there again, so I’m glad I dedicated all the time I could when the chance presented itself.’ | Chris Gug / UnderwaterCompetition.com

Two blue crayfish with large claws are underwater, one resting on mossy rocks and the other swimming above, surrounded by reflections and aquatic plants. — First place in the Cold Water category – ‘This freshwater crayfish displays an extraordinary blue coloration caused by a rare genetic mutation. While the species is normally camouflaged in hazel or olive tones to blend with the riverbed, a disrupted bond between carotenoid pigments and specific proteins reveals this striking blue hue, an exceptionally uncommon phenomenon in nature. Beyond its unusual appearance, this species is a sensitive indicator of ecosystem health, surviving only in pristine freshwater environments with stable temperatures, high oxygen levels, and minimal human disturbance. Today, its populations are in severe decline due to habitat fragmentation and degradation, the spread of pathogenic agents such as crayfish plague, and increasing pressure from invasive alien predators, including raccoons.’ | Francesco Visintin / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A sea turtle entangled in a mass of fishing nets is being rescued by two divers underwater. The divers work together to carefully free the turtle from the debris. Sunlight filters through the water’s surface above them. — First place in the Conservation category – ‘While on an expedition in Sri Lanka, we encountered an olive ridley turtle ensnared in ghost fishing nets, drifting amid the active gear of a nearby fishing boat. After speaking with the fishermen and receiving their permission, we entered the water to help free the animal. As we worked, we discovered the turtle was already missing a front flipper, likely the result of a previous entanglement. Carefully cutting away the ropes, we released its trapped back flipper and watched as it swam free—now relying on only two flippers on one side of its body. The turtle disappeared into the blue, its ultimate fate remaining unknown.’ | James Ferrara / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A colorful fish with blue, yellow, and orange markings pokes its head from a coral, expelling a cloud of sand particles underwater against a soft, blurred background. — First place in the Macro category – ‘A bluestriped fangblenny repeatedly scoops up sand from its burrow with its mouth and spits it out. At first glance, the behavior appears random, almost playful, but closer observation reveals a precise and purposeful routine. The fish follows a systematic three-step excavation process, carefully clearing its home grain by grain. This image captures the final and most dramatic stage—the moment the fangblenny launches itself upward from the burrow at roughly a 45-degree angle, forcefully ejecting the remaining sand as far away as possible. The brief burst of motion, frozen in time, highlights both the intelligence and determination hidden within this tiny reef dweller.’ | Bruce Jung / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A scuba diver illuminated by a beam of light explores an underwater cave surrounded by dramatic rock formations and stalactites, with bubbles rising toward the surface. — First place in the Compact category – ‘In Mexico’s Cenote Dos Pisos, earth, water, and time merge into a single, breathing organism. Roots break through the ceiling of the cave and reach deep into the water. Light filters through the earth, bathing the scene in a mysterious glow. Millennia have shaped these formations, and yet everything feels alive. When I dove there, it was the silence that struck me.’ | Manuel Wuthrich / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A bright orange newt rests on rocks underwater at the edge of a stream. The photo is split above and below the waterline, showing both the rocky streambed and the stones along the shore above. — First place in the Over/Under category – ‘In the spring, in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, streams fed by snowmelt flow cold and clear. Remarkably resistant to the cold temperatures, Sierra newts take to the water to breed, spending weeks in the stream. During this time, they will find a mate and lay their eggs on the underside of boulders underwater in deeper pools. From above the water’s surface, a newt appears as a golden-orange shimmer on the bottom of the fast-flowing stream; one has to wonder how often during California’s gold rush prospectors mistook the amphibians for precious metals.’ | Anton Sorokin / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A seal underwater faces upward toward the surface, illuminated by sunlight filtering through the water. Bubbles rise above its head, and its fur and whiskers are clearly visible. — First place in the Unrestricted category – ‘This composite image was created during a multi-week trip to Lembeh, Indonesia. Our dive guide found a black sand patch with multiple snake eels, but this was the only one that had cleaner shrimp associated with it. With the dive guide assisting by holding my snoot, the shrimp moved along the snake eel and I managed to capture this shot with the crustacean over its eye. The sun ball that forms the background was shot later on the trip.’ | Karyll Gonzalez / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A split-level photo shows striped fish swimming over coral in clear water below, with a dark mountainous shoreline and a deep purple twilight sky above the surface. — First place in the Portfolio category – ‘In a breathtaking spectacle, thousands of corals spanning vast reef expanses release their reproductive material simultaneously—a fleeting moment that unfolds within minutes, once a year. A vibrant, upside-down snowstorm ensues as billions of colorful eggs and sperm disperse through the currents, converging to create new life. This photographic project, part of an ongoing scientific journey, chronicles the unique reproductive phenomena of corals, shedding light on the intricacies of their underwater world and the challenges they face in an ever-changing environment.’ | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A group of colorful striped fish swim near a coral reef underwater, surrounded by small floating particles. The vibrant scene showcases marine life and coral in a clear, blue aquatic environment. — First place in the Portfolio category | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

Underwater view of coral spawning at night, with pink coral eggs floating upward. A diver with a bright flashlight observes the scene in the background, illuminating the dark water. — First place in the Portfolio category | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

Close-up of a colorful coral colony with pointed, knobby tips. The coral features a mix of yellow, pink, and orange hues, and its textured surface appears covered in small, rounded bumps. The background is black. — First place in the Portfolio category | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

A close-up of a coral spawning underwater at night, releasing clouds of tiny pink eggs and sperm into the dark water, with small streaks showing the movement of the particles. — First place in the Portfolio category | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

Close-up of coral underwater releasing tiny pink eggs and sperm into the dark water during a spawning event, with numerous small pink dots floating above the coral branches. — First place in the Portfolio category | Tom Shlesinger / UnderwaterCompetition.com

“We would like to thank this year’s hard-working judges—Nicolas Remy, Jennifer Hayes, Álvaro Herrero (Mekan), Jill Heinerth, Aaron Wong, and Kate Jonker—who pored over hundreds of short-listed photos in private before getting together to select the winners and runners-up during an hours-long virtual meeting,” DPG says.

“We would also like to offer a very special thanks to our generous sponsors for contributing an amazing pool of trip and gear prizes.”

15% of entry proceeds are set to be donated to marine conservation efforts. See below for the full set of winning entries or head over to UnderwaterCompetition.com.