CUPOTY CHALLENGE: Something Beautiful

WINNERS GALLERY

In association with Affinity Photo editing software.

Winner

Linda Repasky | Puddle Reflection

‘In late autumn, after the leaves have fallen from the trees, the landscape shuts down and heads toward slumber. But in this tiny puddle, the reflection of a bare tree comes alive with soft colours amid a scattering of acorns and pebbles. Puddles, so ordinary and humble, and so easily overlooked, are a source of endless beauty and magic!’

Technical information:
iPhone 16 Pro Max
f/1.78, 1/120sec, ISO 64

Further information:
Instagram: lindarepaskyphotography

2nd Place

Michael Friel | At the Hub

‘These tiny spiders appear for a short time during autumn. When the forecast promises a sunny day, I visit an ornamental tree nursery in Jinju, South Korea, in the early morning and search for horizontal webs strung across upper branches at chest height. As the sun rises, I point the lens roughly east. When I see the rainbow refractions along the web strands (often helped by a light wind), I fire away. The spider poses proudly, never moving.’

Technical information:
Nikon D500
Nikon 105mm f/2.8
f/6, 1/400sec, ISO 400

Further information:
Flickr: mishko2007

3rd Place

Kamilla Szava-Oberndorfer | Slime Moulds and Reflections

‘During a walk in the woods near Vienna, Austria, I found a group of Physarum sp. on a dead branch, lying on the woodland floor. On closer inspection, I spotted water droplets on some of the fruiting bodies. Due to their size (1–2mm) it was a challenge to find one with an interesting reflection. I managed to get a series of shots using the focus bracketing feature on my camera. This image is a result of 26 shots stacked in Helicon Focus.’

Technical information:
Olympus OM-1
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO
f/7.1, 1/50sec, ISO 250

Further information:
Instagram: kamomillasz

Finalist

Noelle Bennett | Deluge

‘I love the form of achillea flowers, whether they’re alive or dead. In this case, I took a flower that was in full bloom and submerged it in a container of cold water, anchoring it to the bottom with a weighted crocodile clip. I placed the container and flower inside a foldable light studio then set my camera on a tripod, making sure I had my cable release attached. I then carefully dripped evaporated milk into the container above the flower using a pipette, before releasing the shutter. I had the camera set to burst mode and carried on shooting until all the evaporated milk had sunk to the base of the tank. I really like the drama this technique adds to such a pretty, but somewhat overlooked, flower.’

Technical information:
Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Leica DG Macro Elmarit 45mm f/2.8
f/14, 0.625sec, ISO 100
Tripod, cable release, 40cm foldable LED ring light studio, pipette, evaporated milk, 4.3L clear container, weighted crocodile clip, coloured card for background.
Basic adjustments in Affinity Photo, removed air bubbles and small particles from the evaporated milk. Topaz Studio 2 for clarity, sharpness, and a blue/cream colour shift. Layer, mask and texture in Affinity Photo.

Further information:
Website: noellebennettphotography.com
Instagram: noelle.bennett.73

Finalist

Yann Raulet | Miracle

‘In my floating hide on the Lirou, a small river in the south of France near Montpellier, I patiently waited for a kingfisher to land in front of my lens. But it didn't happen… To pass the time, I started photographing the ripples of the water with my long focal lens. In the viewfinder, my eye got lost in this moving, colourful spectacle. Suddenly, a common pond skater joined the dance. For him, walking on water wasn't a miracle, but between us, was there anything more magical and beautiful?’

Technical information:
Nikon Z6II
Sigma 150-600mm f/5–6.3
f/10, 1/800sec, ISO 4500
Home made floating hide with an integrated tripod ballhead

Further information:
Website: yannraulet.myportfolio.com
Instagram: yraulet.wildlife.photography

Finalist

Kathleen Clemons | Tulip Gift In Ice

‘A friend of mine had surprised me with a bouquet of tulips, and I had photographed them at the height of their beauty in different ways. As the flowers aged and the petals unfurled, I decided to see how they would freeze (some flowers lose their colour during this process). I arranged the tulips in a shallow baking pan with a small amount of water to anchor them. I added more water when that base layer had frozen, choosing to leave some petals above the water line. I love the contrasting textures.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS R5
Canon EF 180mm F/3.5L Macro
f/22, 1/100sec, ISO 2500
Nik Filters Viveza

Further information:
Website: kathleenclemonsphotography.com
Instagram: kathleenclemonsphotography
Facebook: KathleenClemonsPhotographer

Finalist

Ryan Dale | Green Meshweaver

‘I had seen a few Green Meshweaver spiders on ivy leaves while I was gardening, and I just had to get a photograph of one. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I noticed this individual hiding in its web retreat. Seeing an opportunity to capture a behavioural shot of the species, I carefully set up my camera and tripod so as not to disturb the spider. Its tiny size meant that each gust of wind ruined the shot, so I sat patiently until the air was still and then I quickly fired off a stack, finally achieving the picture I had in mind.’

Technical information:
OM System OM-1 Mark II
OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO
f/5.6, 1/50sec, ISO 100
Godox v860iii flash, Cygnustech Diffuser, tripod

Further information:
Website: www.redal.uk
Instagram: redal.uk
Facebook: redal.photos
YouTube: redal-uk
Tiktok: redal.uk

Finalist

Alessandro Grasso | Squid on the Run

‘I was on a night dive in the Red Sea at Marsa Alam, Egypt, when I suddenly noticed a squid right in front of me. As I approached (with extreme caution) it sped away, only giving me the chance to take two shots. Thankfully, it was enough.’

Technical information:
Canon 5D Mark IV
Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal-Fisheye
f/13, 1/125sec, ISO 160

Further information:
Instagram: alessandro.grasso73
Facebook: Alephotograsso

Finalist

Richard Sambrook | Wild Welsh Pony

‘I came across a herd of wild ponies in the Preseli Hills of Wales. Although wild, they were curious about people, and I was able to photograph them individually from about a metre away. It was magical to be surrounded and apparently accepted by this wild herd. I was struck by the colouring of one pony and when it bent round and ducked its head, I grabbed what was an unpromising shot from the rear. Reviewing it later I realised that by cropping in I could create a more intimate, almost abstract, image which better captured the moment.’

Technical information:
Fuji X-Pro 2
Fuji XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4
f/18, 1/640sec, ISO 640

Further information:
Website: richardsambrook.myportfolio.com
Instagram: sambrook

Finalist

Tibor Litauszki | In the Shelter of the Mushroom

‘A globular springtail climbs along the edge of a mushroom in an autumn forest in Germany. I had originally set out to photograph spore-releasing mushrooms, but it wasn’t a successful trip. However, through the macro lens, I noticed a globular springtail only 3.5mm in size, appear before my camera. As I tried to capture the image and moved closer to the mushroom, my breath in the cold air created an interesting effect with the backlighting.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS R5
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 CA Dreamer Macro
f/5.6, 1/320sec, ISO 1250
Beanbag, LED lamp

Further information:
Instagram: tiborlitauszki_naturphtgrphy

Finalist

Alex Pansier | Puffin Profile

‘An Atlantic puffin stands out in a low-light setting, with its colourful beak gently illuminated against a dark background. The rim of light outlining its beak and chest really appeals to me as it brings out the bird’s unique features and creates a quiet, mysterious mood. The contrast between the lit beak and the shadows adds a touch of elegance to the scene.’

Technical information:
Sony A1
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS
f/9, 1/1000sec, ISO 640

Further information:
Website: alexpansier.com
Instagram: alexpansier
Facebook: alex.pansier