The Close-up Photographer of the Year competition has recently announced the winners of its 7th edition, with Ross Gudgeon from Western Australia taking the top spot with his stunning image of the intricate internal structure of a cauliflower soft coral. These pink marine creatures found in reefs off the coast of New South Wales have experienced a significant decline in population in recent years, with a staggering 90% decrease between 2011 and 2021. Gudgeon’s photograph captures the delicate stalks of the coral, resembling towering trees when viewed from the base.
In addition to Gudgeon’s winning image, the competition also recognized outstanding close-up shots of a diverse range of wildlife, including insects, arachnids, mammals, and amphibians. Notable entries include Barry Webb’s detailed portraits of minuscule slime molds. The full gallery of winners can be viewed on the CUPOTY website, where past editions’ amazing images are also available for exploration.
Among the category winners are Filippo Carugati’s “Amphibian Galaxy,” showcasing baby amphibians in a fluid pouch, and Rithved Girish’s “Guardians of the Hive,” featuring insects lined up at the opening of a hive. Barry Webb’s “Cribraria Cluster” and Amit Eshel’s “Inside the Pack” were awarded 2nd place in the Fungi and Animals categories, respectively. Bence Máté’s “Spider Web” and Artur Tomaszek’s “Dinner” received 3rd place in the Animals and Arachnids categories. Jameson Hawkins’ “Emerald Glow” was recognized with 3rd place in the Young category.
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