Make a plan to get to the UPY London Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 exhibition at the Chavonnes Battery Museum, Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront, as it closes in February, 2018.
The exhibition features 50 intriguing images in 10 categories, three exclusively British Waters, with underwater behaviour and two new categories for Portrait and Compact. 100 finalists were selected from 20 countries including South Africa, Mexico, Finland, Indonesia, Egypt, Sudan, Norway, Canada, France, Italy and the UK.
Visitors can immerse themselves in the colourful images underwater then step below sea-level, meander over and between the ribs of the 18th century archaeological ruins, and discover the story of the “Cape of Storms”.
‘Dancing Octopus’
The adventure commences with a Dancing Octopus in the lagoon of the island of Mayotte between Mozambique and Madagascar in the Indian Ocean secured Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 for Gabriel Barathieu from France.
While further south along the South Africa coast at Port St John’s one gets to see Dolphins Hunting on the annual Sardine Run. Awarded Highly Commended in the Behaviour category, this was taken by Greg Lecoeur from France while on holiday in SA last year.
Runner Up in the Behaviour category was awarded to the South Africa diver Jean Tresfon for his spectacular image Humpback whale feeding on Krill taken a few miles off the Hout Bay coast in the Atlantic Ocean. “Suddenly a humpback appeared right in front of me, its huge mouth wide open as it sieved the water for the tiny crustaceans,” says Jean Tresfon.
British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 and runner up in the British Waters: Wide Angle category was awarded to Nick Blake for his image Out of the Blue taken in the Kukulkan Cenote, one of the 7000 underground caverns below the ruins of the Mayan Temples in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
Not far away also in Mexico at the Los Islotes Espititu Santo, Baja California, Francis Perez from Spain captured Commended in the Portrait category for this heart warming picture Sea Lion playing with Starfish”also in the Pacific Ocean.
Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 and third in the Compact category was awarded to Nicholai Georgiou for the spectacular Orca Pod in Norway.
Close to the North Sea winning Commended in the British Waters: Wide Angle, Cy Sullivan offers an eerie insight into what lies below the waters with Lodberry Jellyfish in Shetland.
Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 and category winner takes visitors to the Red Sea, Egypt for the spectacular Oceanic in the sky by Horacio Martinez from Argentina.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year event is a London based annual competition that seeks to celebrate photography beneath the surface of the sea, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools. This year the competition saw 4500 entries taken in 67 countries. In South Africa, it is sponsored by ORMS.
Chavonnes Battery Museum
The Chavonnes Battery was a VOC fort built to protect Table Bay from sea borne aggressors and covered over in 1860 when the harbour was constructed. Rediscovered and converted into a museum in 2008, the archaeological ruins of the Chavonnes Battery and the history of Cape Town can be explored on the original Cape Town shoreline that has been buried for 300 years.
The Battery, unique for live muzzle loaded canon firing, is and a point of interest on the City of Cape Town Military Heritage Route, where knowledgeable site-specific tourist guides from local communities dressed in period costume offer guided tours of the Museum.
What: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2017 exhibition
Where, when: Chavonnes Battery Museum, Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront, until February, 2018
Book: Webtickets
Opening times: Fri – Mon: 9am to 7pm/Tue – Thu: 9am to 4pm
Prices: FREE for Children under 16 yrs/R100 Adults/R70 Wild Card – Red Bus/R50 Seniors – Students
Cover pic: Gabriel Barathieu
WS
