Breathtaking images from the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest

Alvaro Herrero was named overall winner for this image showing a mother humpback whale and her newborn calf. (Alvaro Herrero/UPY 2025 via CNN Newsource)

Fighting fish, thirsty camels and hairy shrimp are all featured among the winning images of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.

Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero was named overall winner for his image showing the relationship between a humpback whale and her newborn calf, according to a statement from organizers on Friday.

Herrero took the photograph, which is named “Radiant Bond,” in French Polynesia.

“The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy,” said Herrero in the statement.

“The calf is releasing a few bubbles underwater showing it is still learning to hold its breath properly. For me, this photo really shows a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean.”

The image triumphed over 6,750 entries in this year’s competition.

“This delicate yet powerful study of a mother and calf’s bond says all that is great and good about our world,” said contest judge Peter Rowlands in the statement.

“We face our challenges, but the increasing populations of humpback whales worldwide shows what can be achieved,” he added.

Other category winning images include a shot of two male Asian sheepshead wrasse jousting by Japanese photographer Shunsuke Nakano, and a photograph of camels drinking in the desert taken from below the water by Kuwaiti photographer Abdulaziz Al Saleh.

The competition first ran in 1965 and this year attracted entries across 13 categories.

In 2024, Alex Dawson was named overall winner for his image of minke whale bones in shallow waters off eastern Greenland.

And in 2023, US photographer Kat Zhou’s photo of a river dolphin, or “boto,” seemingly posing for the camera at dusk, with the tip of its nose above the water and the sun setting behind it, was named the competition’s overall winner.

By Jack Guy, CNN