The winning entries in this year’s Underwater Photographer of the Year contest were recently announced, and Alvaro Herrero (a.k.a. Mekan) was named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 for an image of a mother humpback whale swimming with its calf. Prizes and commendations were handed out in categories including Wide Angle, Macro, Wrecks, Behavior, Portrait, Black & White, Compact, Up & Coming, and more. Contest organizers were once again kind enough to share with us a selection of this year’s honorees, with captions written by the photographers.To receive an email notification every time new photo stories are published, sign up here. Ethereal Moonscape. Runner-up, Wide Angle. "A diver using a rebreather glides through one of my favorite caves in the Yucatán Peninsula. The rebreather was a critical piece of equipment for this shot. Using rebreathers in the caves allows us to spend much more time exploring their depths, and enhances my photos as it gives us the opportunity to precisely illuminate the scene." (© Copyright Alvaro Herrero (Mekan) / UPY2025)