Newark-born photographer living in Australia awarded for underwater shark shot
A Newark-born photographer has been named the best of Britain.
Matty Smith, an underwater photographer, has been awarded the title of Best British Photographer in the Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards.
Since emigrating to Australia in 2007, Matty has had the Pacific Ocean at his fingertips — and uses this playground to photograph the secret world under the water.
He said: “Underwater photography allows me to visually communicate to the viewer the majestic feelings of scuba diving and the incredible interactions between myself and rarely-seen creatures of our oceans in their natural habitat.
“I want to generate a compassion in people of how wonderful our seas are and how important it is to treat them with respect.”
He now lives in Newcastle, New South Wales, working as a photographer for Ocean Geographic Magazine and as a brand ambassador for Nikon Australia and Aquatica Digital Water Housings.
“For me, one of the most wondrous parts of any dive is the moment that the water engulfs my mask as my head slips below the surface,” he said.
“I think it’s the suspense of the unknown of what lies beneath, the transitional part of moving from one element to the next that feels so magical and the thought of what alien creatures I might encounter.
“I really enjoy and also feel it’s very important to show people the treasures we have in our oceans, how fragile they are and the importance of protecting them.
“I like to use my skills as an underwater photographer to try to amaze and educate.”
His work has been featured in both the UK and Australia, including in the Natural History Museum, London, and the BBC’s Blue Planet Two documentary.
But it was Matty’s photograph of a great white shark, taken off the coast of South Australia, that earned him the name of Best British Photographer.
The over-under shot, where half the image is underwater and half above, rose above the competition.
Matty said: “I wanted the image to create a connection to the character of the shark rather than an intimidating shark image.”
To get the perfect shot, Matty arranged a five-day expedition to the North Neptune Islands, off the south coast of Australia, giving himself plenty of chance to capture ideal conditions.
He added: “I was shocked, humbled and honoured to win this prestigious award. The standard of the other winners and finalists was incredibly high, so I feel very fortunate indeed.”
