Diving gannet image recognised in global underwater photography awards

A STRIKING picture of a gannet diving into the Shetland sea has picked up a prize in the global Underwater Photographer of the Year awards.

Henley Spiers’ image, taken off Noss, won the British waters wide angle category.

Speaking about the photo, he said: “From underwater, the sound was thunderous as streamlined, white torpedos pierced the surface.

“I wanted to create a novel image of these handsome seabirds and resolved to try and capture their movement through a slow exposure.

“The speed of the gannets led to innumerable failures but in this frame we retain strong eye contact with the gannet, even as the scene is artistically softened. With great thanks to Richard Shucksmith, without whom this encounter with the gannets would not have been possible.”