An image of a seemingly smiling octopus encountered in a Highland loch has earned recognition for the photographer who ventured deep below the water’s surface and was carried along by a rapid for the shot.
The photograph - Curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa) with soft coral - was taken in Loch Carron near Plockton, Wester Ross, and won photographer Simon Temple the runner up prize in the British Waters Wide Angle category at in prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 awards, which are considered the best in the world.
Several images depicting the underwater world off the Scottish coastline were honoured.
Mr Temple said his encounters with octopuses in the UK were “usually unplanned” with this award-winning meeting no exception. He took the shot in early May with poor visibility and a plan to drift along the reef with the flood tide to capture what he could among the soft corals. Midway through the dive, the current unexpectedly surged turning the drift into a “rapid ride”.
“Then I saw it: an octopus perched high on the reef wall. I kicked hard against the current, raising my camera as it observed me calmly,” Mr Temple said.
He added: “The tide was relentless, and I managed only four shots before it pulled me away. As I drifted, I glanced back for one last look. The octopus remained, seemingly unfazed by our encounter, but out of range.”
An image taken in Loch Fyne, Argyll, led to photographer James Lynott taking the runner up prize in the British Waters Macro category at the awards.
Mr Lynott took the image on a “wonderful night dive” at the loch, a site known for being home to many beautiful firework anemones at shallow depths. An old pipe covered in concrete blocks also sustains much life below the water’s surface - including the squat lobster.
Mr Lynott said: “These squat lobsters are usually found clinging upside down on boulders/overhangs and disappear the instant the camera shutter is pressed.
“However, on this night dive they were wandering about in the open and didn’t seem to mind having a few pictures taken. These squat lobsters show the brightest fluorescence I have seen in crustaceans and I was really pleased on this dive to be able to capture the whole animal in frame.”
A shot taken of the rare jellyfish ‘Neoturris pileata’ in Scottish waters - at a precise location undisclosed - earned photographer Dan Bolt also earned photographer Dan Bolt recognition in the British Waters Macro category.
He said: “Occasionally in my time under the water I have come across this medusa ‘Neoturris pileata’ in the open water but had not taken a decent photo of one. On this occasion however, my buddy and I were specifically targeting them and other similar creatures to try to explore the idea of UK ‘blackwater’ photographic opportunities.”
The shot stood out to judges given it captured a larval crab or lobster, which seemingly appeared to sit perfectly within the medusa’s bell. On closer inspection, the crustacean is sitting on the outside of the creature with the photo named ‘The Hitch Hiker’.
The statement from the judging panel said: “This is a beautiful and rarely seen jellyfish, but the wow moment really comes when you spot the hitchhiking shrimp through the transparent bell.”
Photographer won the British Waters Living Together category for his shot of a crab nestled among the heavy ironware keeping in place a scallop dredger on Loch Carron. The photo, he said, showed the ability of nature to make the best of a bad situation.
5. The Curious Seal by David Alpert
This shot shows a grey seal off Lundy Island, a marine protected area since 1973. Photographer David Alpert described seals as "delightfully curious creatures". On catching the shot, he added: "Briefly, I become one of the privileged few, crossing the bridge into the world of a sentient wild animal." It earned him the British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 title. | David Alpert
6. Aurora Underwater by Ruruka
This shot was taken by Korean photographer Ruruka, with this image earning him the Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year category. Taken in waters off Cancun, it is a place the photographer has travelled many times to pursue his passion. Judges were impressed with the position of the diver and the light coming into the shot. | Ruruka Photo: Ruruka
7. Stars and Stripes by Sandra Walker
Towers of bootlace weed in Kimmeridge bay, Dorset, became the focus for photographer Sandra Walker, who wanted to show them at their summer best when they become covered in tiny 5mm stalked jellyfish. She used a blue light on the weed and a white light on the jellyfish to up the contrast. She took the third prize in the British Waters Macro category for the shot. | Sandra Walker
8. Take a Deep Breath by Guy Trees
Guy Trees was runner up in the British Waters Living Together Category for this shot of his freediving friend which was taken in a peaceful moment among the seaweed below Balaclava Bay in Dorset. He said "We seek refuge from the fast pace of daily life beneath the waves, where it is quiet. We relax, our heart rate slows down; for many people, the ocean provides a place to find peace." | Guy Trees