80 Notable Images from the 2024 Close-Up Photographer of the Year

#5 Clash Of The Titans By Ivanenko Svetlana

#6 Eresus Walckenaeri By Aris-Kolokontes

"Kurnell on the southern side of Sydney's Botany Bay is hands down my favorite spot for underwater photography," the photographer also told us. He felt this set him apart from others. There is an amazing variety of marine life there, so every dive seems like a treasure hunt. One of the few sites where I can often encounter a range of species with their own distinct colors, patterns, and behaviors—seahorses, anglerfish, and sea dragons, among others. A dynamic underwater scene created by the combination of sandy sections, rocky reefs, and seagrass beds draws a broad spectrum of life. I find it amazing how one moment you may be shooting a little, hidden species, and then you could be startled by a bigger visitor swimming past. Kurnell's environment is unpredictable and rich, which drives me back—it's a location where I know I will constantly find something fresh.