An Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) is declared the winner of the 2019 Annual Underwater Photography Contest hosted by the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The winning image was captured by Davide Lopresti in a mountain lake of the Liguria region of Italy. The image is one of 630 underwater images submitted for this year’s contest.
A panel of experts including UM Rosenstiel School marine biologists and professional photographers judged the photos that came from 30 countries and 20 U.S. states. Awards are given in four categories: macro, fish or marine animal portrait, wide angle and best overall submission. The competition also recognized the best UM student photo, which was of a school of large yellowtailgrunt surrounded by sergeant majors and Pacific creole fish, taken by Undergraduate marine science student Enzo Newhard at Corona del Diablo in the Galapagos Islands.
2019 Underwater Photo Contest Winners:
Overall Winner
Davide Lopresti, juvenile tritone alpestre (Ichthyosaura alpestris)
Location: Liguria, Italy
Macro
1st place: Andrey Shpatak, juvenile wonderpus octopus (Wunderpus photogenicus)
Location: Anilao, Philippines
2nd place: Andrey Shpatak, white trinchesia nudibranch (Tenellia sp)
Location: Tulamben, Bali Indonesia
3rd place: Andy Deitsch, tiger cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus macrodon)
Location: Gubal Strait, Red Sea, Egypt
Honorable mention: Davide Lopresti, juvenile banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) sheltering in spines of blue spotted sea urchin (Astropyga radiata)
Location: Lembeh, Indonesia
Fish or Marine Animal Portrait
1st place: Andy Putnam, ocean sunfish (Mola mola)
Location: San Pedro Channel, Catalina Island, California, USA
2nd place: Marco Steiner, diamond squid (Thysanteuthis rhombus)
Location: Kuramathi, Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives
3rd place: Andrey Shpatak, planktonic longarm octopus (Macrotritopus defilippi)
Location: Anilao, Philippines
Wide-angle
1st place: Debbie Wallace, sand tiger shark (Carcharius taurus) in a school of scad (Trachurus lathami)
Location: Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
2nd place: Joerg Blessing, reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi)
Location: Baa Atoll, Maldives
3rd place: Debbie Wallace, Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Location: Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
Honorable Mention: Davide Lopresti, bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)
Location: Monterosso, Liguria, Italy
UM Student
1st place: Enzo Newhard, Large school of yellowtail grunt (Anisotremus interruptus) on the bottom with a mix of panamic sergeant majors (Abudefduf troschelii) and Pacific creolefish (Paranthias colonus) up higher in the water column
Location: Corona del Diablo, Floreana, Galapagos
2nd place: Romain Chaput, school of Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Location: Bear Cut bridge, Virginia Key, Florida
3rd place: Daisy Buzzoni, Verco’s nudibranchs (Tambja verconis)
Location: Blairgowrie, Victoria, Australia
