February 27, 2026

Close-up Photographer of the Year 7

Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon has won the grand prize at Close-up Photographer of the Year 7 for Fractal Forest, an extraordinary underwater image photographed inside a cauliflower soft coral in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. The image earned Gudgeon the competition’s top award and a £2,500 prize.

Ross Gudgeon explains:

‘Named for its cauliflower-like form, this soft coral is made up of countless small, rounded polyps that give it a puffy texture. I wanted to explore a perspective that isn’t possible with conventional lenses, and an underwater probe lens allowed me to do that. By carefully threading the lens through the coral’s branches without disturbing them, I was able to photograph the subject from the inside looking-out, offering a different view of a common marine organism.’

Close-up Photographer of the Year is an international photography competition dedicated to revealing the hidden wonder of the world through macro, micro and close-up imagery.

The seventh edition of the competition attracted over 12,000 entries from 63 countries. A jury of 22 expert photographers, naturalists and editors spent more than 20 hours on Zoom calls to select the winners and Top 100 images.

This year’s winning images span 11 categories, with subjects ranging from frog spawn resembling a galaxy and a ghost-like swarm of mayflies approaching a Hungarian town, to an ice-covered tree in Nagano and a fantastical landscape created by oxidising a copper plate with household materials.

‘This was the toughest competition yet,’ says CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder. ‘The winning image embodies everything close-up photography can achieve – it shows us a perspective we’ve never seen before and reveals hidden beauty in a familiar subject. The judges were captivated.’

Winners page: www.cupoty.com/winners-7

Overall Winner

Name: Ross Gudgeon
Title: Fractal Forest
Category: Underwater
Place: 1st
Nationality: Australian

Picture details:
The inside of a cauliflower soft coral in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.

Ross:
‘Named for its characteristic cauliflower-like appearance, this coral has numerous small, rounded, bump-like polyps that give it a puffy texture. This unique perspective was made possible by the Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Lens), an underwater version of the probe or insect eye lens. Due to its long length, small diameter, close focus, and wide field of view, this lens allows for perspectives impossible with conventional lenses. I decided to experiment with the EMWL on the soft coral to capture a different view of a common life form. I carefully threaded the end of the EMWL through the branches of the soft coral so as not to damage them, creating an image looking from the inside out.’

Technical information:
Camera: Sony A7R IV
Lens: Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
ISO: 400
Aperture: f/9
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Nauticam EMWL with 160º objective lens and 2x Retra Pro flashes
Post processing: DXO Pure Raw, Adobe Lightroom, Topaz Photo AI and Adobe Photoshop

Further information:
Instagram: @ross_gudgeon
Facebook: Ross Gudgeon

INSECTS

Name: Fabio Sartori
Title: Flying Amongst the Down
Category: Insects
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Italian

Picture details:
A ladybird flies away from hare’s tail grass (Lagurus ovatus) in a meadow near Valpiana, Grosseto, Italy.

Fabio:
‘I’d been looking for a shot like this for some time, and to get it, I took advantage of a feature on my camera called Pro Capture, which allows you to recover frames from before you fully press the shutter button. Thanks to this feature, I obtained a sequence of shots that included this one.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus E-M1 Mark II
Lens: Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S.
ISO: 1250
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Accessories: Handheld
Post processing: Photoshop

Further information:
Instagram: @fabiosar1962
Facebook: Fabio Sartori

Name: Raghuram Annadana
Title: Parasitic Play
Category: Insects
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Indian

Picture details:
Banana skipper (Erionota thrax) eggs being parasitised by a wasp (Agiommatus sp.) in Bengaluru, India.

Raghuram:
‘Whilst on a macro walk earlier this year, I spotted the familiar sight of banana skipper eggs neatly laid on a banana leaf. But as I peered closer through the lens, the scene turned unexpectedly dramatic. A tiny parasitic wasp was busy at work, slipping its own eggs inside those of the butterfly. Each butterfly egg is only about 1.8mm, and the wasp is even smaller.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO with Raynox DCR-250
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash with custom diffuser, handheld
Post processing: Raw processing in Photoshop, followed by stack assembly in Zerene Stacker and denoising using Topaz. Final contrast adjustments in Photoshop

Further information:
Website: www.macrobyraghu.com
Instagram: @macro_by_raghu

Name: Rupert Lees
Title: Surface Tension
Category: Insects
Place: Finalist
Nationality: British

Picture details:
A globular springtail (Dicyrtomina ornata) and a mosquito larva in a London garden, UK.

Rupert:
‘This image illustrates the incredible diversity of arthropod lifecycles: a tiny land-dwelling springtail no more than 1.5mm in length and the aquatic larva of a mosquito are pictured side by side but inhabit completely different realms, separated yet supported by the sliver of surface tension between them. I encountered this scene in an old frying pan left out in my back garden that had filled with rainwater. The surface was a great place to observe and photograph springtails and their reflections. On this particular day I noticed several mosquito larvae in the water and set out to capture an image with springtails on the surface and mosquitos beneath. It took a lot of patience, but I managed to combine 18 images to capture this minuscule scene.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO with MC-20 teleconverter
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash, custom self-made diffuser
Post processing: Zerene Stacker, Topaz Denoise AI and Lightroom

Further information:
Website: www.cordycept.co.uk
Instagram: @macrocordycept

BUTTERFLIES & DRAGONFLIES

Name: Pål Hermansen
Title: Butterfly Flash
Category: Butterflies & Dragonflies
Place: 1st
Nationality: Norwegian

Picture details:
A Camberwell beauty (Nymphalis antiopa) flashes its wings to defend its feeding spot on a birch tree trunk in Follo, Norway.

Pål:
‘The butterfly was sitting on a birch tree trunk, drawn by the leaking sap caused by an attack of goat moth (Cossus cossus) larvae. Some red admiral butterflies and wasps were also attracted to the sweet sap. When the wasps approached, the Camberwell beauty did not fly off, but instead defended the spot by suddenly flashing its wings several times. The other insects kept their distance, allowing it to spend sufficient time feeding undisturbed.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO
ISO: 125
Aperture: f/22
Shutter speed: 1/3 sec
Accessories: MC-20 (2x teleconverter)
Post processing: Photoshop

Further information:
www.palhermansen.com
Instagram: @hermansenpal

ARACHNIDS

Name: William Menzies
Title: Nightmare on Karella Street
Category: Arachnids
Place: Finalist
Nationality: British

Picture details:
A huntsman spider (Sparassidae sp.) rests on a post at the entrance to Karrakatta Reserve, Perth, Western Australia.

William:
‘Finding a huntsman is always exciting, they are such gentle giants. I wasn’t looking for this one; it was waiting for me at the entrance to a reserve where I often walk at night. I began with a close portrait, drawn to its eyes and pedipalps, but the image felt incomplete, lacking a sense of place. When I stepped back, the scene revealed itself. The spider clung to a weathered metal post, its peeling paint and rust suggesting years of quiet human use. A street sign and lamp behind it anchored the moment firmly in the human world. I switched to a wide-angle lens, mounted the camera on a tripod, and built a focus stack, carefully balancing light, depth, and scale. With this image, I wanted to remind people that wildlife isn’t separate from our lives, but is quietly sharing space with us every day.’’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-5
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4 PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/11
Shutter speed: 1.3 sec
Accessories: Manfrotto tripod, Godox V350O flash, Cygnustech flash diffuser
Post processing: Helicon Focus, Lightroom

Further information:
www.willmenzies.com
Instagram: @will_menzies_photographs

Name: Rafael Steinlesberger
Title: Veil of Renewal
Category: Arachnids
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Austrian

Picture details:
A tailless whip scorpion (Amblypygi sp.) in mid-moult at Rio Nuevo Nature Reserve, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Rafael:
‘In the depths of the Rio Nuevo Nature Reserve, Costa Rica, I encountered a rare and fleeting moment: a tailless whip scorpion in mid-moult. Suspended about a metre above my head, the delicate creature was still soft and unhardened, its body glowing in an almost translucent white. To capture the scene, I had to fully extend my arms upwards, balancing precision and steadiness whilst shooting a 32-frame focus stack. The result reveals a seldom-seen stage in the life of this elusive arachnid.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1 Mark II
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash, Cygnustech diffuser
Post processing: 32 images stacked in Helicon Focus, edited in Lightroom, sharpened in DeNoise AI

Further information:
www.rafisteinles.com
Instagram: @rafisteinles
TikTok: @rafisteinles

Name: Raghuram Annadana
Title: Blending In
Category: Arachnids
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Indian

Picture details:
A lichen huntsman spider (Pandercetes sp.) blends perfectly into a moss and lichen covered tree trunk in Agumbe, India.

Raghuram:
‘During a trip to the Western Ghats, one of India’s richest biodiversity hotspots, I came across countless fascinating macro species. Among them was this lichen huntsman spider, perfectly blending into a moss and lichen covered tree trunk. I used a wide-angle lens to reveal its remarkable camouflage and slowed the shutter to capture the soft blue bokeh of light filtering through the forest canopy.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/50 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash with custom diffuser
Post processing: Zerene Stacker, Photoshop, Topaz

Further information:
www.macrobyraghu.com
Instagram: @macro_by_raghu

Name: Justin Chan
Title: Pumpkin Spice
Category: Arachnids
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Canadian

Picture details:
A harvestman (Sabacon sp.) rests under bark in the wet woods of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Justin:
‘I often come across interesting harvestmen in the wet woods of British Columbia. They are usually found resting under pieces of bark and dead wood. Most of the time, it is hard to photograph their eyes and ‘faces’ because they’ll often be obscured by a jumble of long legs! This one had both its legs and pedipalps arranged in a nice way that framed the eyes. Wanting to highlight the amazing texture and shapes of the huge fuzzy pedipalps, I knew a focus stack was needed. It’s not easy shooting one with the fully-manual Laowa 25mm lens, but luckily, I have had a lot of practice with this technique. It took 33 photos with no aid of a focus rail, tripod, or any other equipment to get the finished image.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
Lens: Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro
ISO: 320
Aperture: f/4
Shutter speed: 1/60 sec
Accessories: Flash, flash diffuser, focus light
Post processing: 33 images handheld focus-stacked in Photoshop, Lightroom

Further information:
www.justinchan.art
Instagram: @jchan.photo
Twitter/X: @justinchans
iNaturalist: @justinchans

INVERTEBRATE PORTRAIT

Name: Wayne Sayers
Title: Thomisus Onustus on Guard
Category: Invertebrate Portrait
Place: 2nd
Nationality: British

Picture details:
A female heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) guards her recently laid eggs in Dorset, UK

Wayne:
‘I first encountered these colourful spiders last year and was amazed to learn they’re native to the UK. They are a heathland specialist, and living near Dorset heathland gave me the opportunity to search for them again this summer. One behaviour I wanted to capture was a female guarding her egg sac. After many trips to several sites, I found a population just 15 minutes from home. Most females were tucked beneath their egg sacs or hidden amongst heather flowers, making clean shots difficult. This individual stood out because her perch was unusually open. The forecast predicted still conditions, a welcome break from weeks of gusty wind that had made stacking impossible. I set out at 4:30am, hoping the calm would hold. The cool night air had left a light dew on the heather and creatures. When I arrived, I found the spider in clear view atop her egg sac, perfectly positioned. On returning, days later, she was gone along with many others I’d spotted.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1 Mark II
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Cygnustech diffuser, Godox V860III flash
Post processing: 44 images stacked in Helicon Focus, processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Further information:
Instagram: @ws_dorset_macro
FOTO: ws_dorset_macro

Name: Manfred Auer
Title: Weevil
Category: Invertebrate Portrait
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Austrian

Picture details:
A weevil with its head tucked in, in the Amazon rainforest at Yarina Eco Lodge, Ecuador.

Manfred:
‘Whilst walking behind a small hut in the rainforest at Yarina Eco Lodge, I was searching for subjects when I spotted this remarkable weevil. Its head was tucked in so seamlessly and was fully covered in tiny scales. For the background, I picked a small flower from the surrounding area to add some colour to the composition.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III, Cygnustech diffuser
Post processing: Stacked in Zerene Stacker, processed in Photoshop and Lightroom, denoised with Topaz DeNoise

Further information:
www.manfredauer.at
Instagram: @macro.bug.hunter
YouTube: Macro Bug Hunter

PLANTS

Name: Tibor Litauszki
Title: In the Embrace of Shadows
Category: Plants
Place: 3rd
Nationality: Hungarian

Picture details:
Two lady’s-slipper orchids (Cypripedium sp.) shining in the sunset in Germany.

Tibor:
‘The image captures a mysterious, almost dreamlike moment, where the dark silhouettes of the lady’s-slipper orchids perform a subtle dance on the edge of light and shadow. Taken with a telephoto lens, the photograph focuses not on details, but on atmosphere. In the background, golden orbs of sunlight filtering through the leaves gently embrace the plants.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO
ISO: 1000
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/40 sec
Accessories: Uniqball tripod
Post processing: Adobe Lightroom

Further information:
Instagram: @tiborlitauszki_naturphtgrphy

Name: Manfred Auer
Title: Flowerstem
Category: Plants
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Austrian

Picture details:
Magnified flower stamen covered in pollen in the photographer’s garden, Austria.

Manfred:
‘Close-up flower stamens are fascinating because they reveal the tiniest parts of a flower, details you would normally overlook. This one was growing right outside my house. When I took a closer look, I knew I had to get as close as possible, which is why I used the MC-20 teleconverter to achieve 4:1 magnification (8:1 full-frame equivalent).’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO with MC-20 teleconverter
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/14
Shutter speed: 1/60 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash, Cygnustech diffuser, tripod
Post processing: Photoshop, Lightroom, Zerene Stacker, Topaz Denoise

Further information:
Website: www.manfredauer.at
Instagram: @macro.bug.hunter
YouTube: Macro Bug Hunter

Name: Ria Groot Zevert
Title: Striking Light
Category: Plants
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Dutch

Picture details:
Shrub foliage glowing in a forest in the Netherlands.

Ria:
‘It had been raining in the forest, and when the sun broke through, the wet leaves began to glow. I was drawn to the red colour of the shrub on the forest floor. To enhance the atmosphere, I very subtly layered another image with bokeh over the original photograph in-camera.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus E-M10
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 at 112mm
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/6.3
Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Accessories: Polarisation filter
Post processing: Photoshop Elements

Further information:
Instagram: @rgrootzevert
1x.com: Ria Groot Zevert

Name: Felix Wesch
Title: Three-toothed Orchid
Category: Plants
Place: Finalist
Nationality: German

Picture details:
Three-toothed orchid (Neotinea tridentata) in a meadow in Germany.

Felix:
‘At first, I simply photographed the two orchids quite large and isolated in the frame. Then, at some point, I thought that a juniper tree, which had been behind me the whole time, might provide a good frame for the orchids, which, due to the greater distance, now appeared much smaller. So I did it. I was very pleased with the result.’

Technical information:
Camera: Olympus E-M5 Mark II
Lens: Samyang 135mm f/2.0
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/2
Shutter speed: 1/400 sec
Post processing: Lightroom, but not much editing done besides white balance and contrasts

Further information:
Website: www.felixwesch.de
Instagram: @felixwesch
YouTube: Felix Wesch

FUNGI & SLIME MOULDS

Name: Barry Webb
Title: Cribraria Cluster
Category: Fungi & Slime Moulds
Place: 2nd
Nationality: British

Picture details:
A cluster of 1.5mm tall, immature Cribraria rufa slime moulds in ancient woodland, South Buckinghamshire, England.

Barry:
‘I was pleased to find this group of Cribraria rufa slime moulds growing so close together, as they are more usually found singly or spaced apart. A focus bracket of 103 shots was taken to create the image. A tripod was used as it was taken in natural light.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO with MC-14 teleconverter
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/9
Shutter speed: 1/10 sec
Accessories: Gitzo tripod, cable release
Post processing: Stacked in Zerene Stacker. Lightroom, Photoshop, Topaz Denoise.

Further information:
Website: www.barrywebbimages.co.uk
Instagram: @barrywebbimages

Name: Jeremy Lintott
Title: Holly Parachute Fungi
Category: Fungi & Slime Moulds
Place: Finalist
Nationality: British

Picture details:
Holly parachute fungi (Marasmius hudsonii) growing on a holly leaf in Rowney Warren woods, Bedfordshire, England.

Jeremy:
‘I was searching for slime moulds amongst dead leaves under a group of holly trees, but having little luck. Instead, I found these two holly parachute fungi growing on one of the leaves. These are very thin and fragile fungi, and to find two together in good solid condition was very lucky. I took a series of focus-bracketed images and was also lucky that it was such a still day, as usually any breeze makes these extremely difficult to photograph.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO with MC-14 teleconverter
ISO: 400
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/13 sec
Accessories: Tripod, self-locking tweezers for holding the leaf, LED light
Post processing: 36 focus-bracketed images stacked in Zerene Stacker, stacking artefacts corrected in Photoshop. Lightroom.

Further information:
Website: www.bluefernimages.com
Instagram: @jeremylintottphotos
Facebook: Jeremy Lintott Photography

Name: Raghuram Annadana
Title: Entomopathogenic Fungi Taking Over Blue Bottle Flies
Category: Fungi & Slime Moulds
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Indian

Picture details:
Blue bottle flies (Lucilia sericata) overwhelmed by fungi in Bengaluru, India.

Raghuram:
‘I found these greenbottle flies seemingly overtaken by the parasitic fungus Entomophthora muscae. Once infected, the fungus takes control, driving the flies to climb high and spread their wings before death — a “summit syndrome” that helps disperse spores to others below. As the fungus consumes the host from within, it finally bursts through the body, leaving a ghostly white, fuzzy form. Gruesome, yet endlessly fascinating.’’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/9
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec
Accessories: Godox V860III flash with custom diffuser, handheld
Post processing: Photoshop, followed by stack assembly in Zerene Stacker and denoising using Topaz

Further information:
Website: www.macrobyraghu.com
Instagram: @macro_by_raghu

Name: Barry Webb
Title: Leaf Edge Slime Moulds
Category: Fungi & Slime Moulds
Place: Finalist
Nationality: British

Picture details:
Physarum leucopus growing around the edge of an oak leaf in ancient woodland, South Buckinghamshire, England.

Barry:
‘I was instantly attracted to these slime moulds as soon as I spotted them in leaf litter. The fact that they were neatly spaced around the edge of an oak leaf made a simple and effective composition. They are a little over 1mm in height. It was a focus bracket of 76 shots. I used a nearby leaf placed behind the subject to create the background.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro with 3x extension tubes
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter speed: 1/5 sec
Accessories: Gitzo tripod, cable release
Post processing: Stacked in Zerene Stacker. Basic adjustments in Lightroom. Minor removal of artefacts in Photoshop. Topaz Denoise

Further information:
Website: www.barrywebbimages.co.uk
Instagram: @barrywebbimages

YOUNG

Name: Matyáš Mutina
Title: Silhouette
Category: Young
Place: Finalist
Nationality: Czech
Age: 17 years old

Picture details:
A silhouetted mushroom in South Moravia, Czechia.

Matyáš:
‘In autumn, I spend a lot of time walking through the forest, looking for interesting subjects to photograph. My favourite subjects are small mushrooms, which often look very intriguing. At sunset, I found a solitary mushroom with a spiderweb under its cap and decided to photograph it against the light so that the spiderweb would stand out. The result was this silhouette, illuminated by the setting sun filtering through the trees.’

Technical information:
Camera: OM System OM-1
Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter speed: 1/60 sec
Accessories: Handheld
Post processing: DxO PureRAW 4 for denoising, then edited in Lightroom

Further information:
Website: www.mutinamatyas-photo.com
Instagram: @mutinamatyas_photo
Facebook: Matyáš Mutina Photography
YouTube: Matyáš Mutina

Jury

The CUPOTY 7 jury included Karine Aigner, Nigel Atherton, Renee Grinnell Capozzola, Matt Doogue, Guy Edwardes, Wim van Egmond, Marit van Ekelenburg, Viktoria Haack, Jamie Hall, Greg Lecoeur, Chien C. Lee, David Maitland, Sarah Marino, Ailsa McWhinnie, Piotr Naskrecki, Alex Noriega, Bart Somers (@insectguru), Georgina Steytler, Rachael Talibart, Keith Wilson and CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder.

Prizes

The overall winner of Close-up Photographer of the Year 7 receives a £2,500 prize and the Close-up Photographer of the Year trophy. Category and Young Photographer awards are also presented, with winning and shortlisted images featured in the official CUPOTY digital book.

The eighth Close-up Photographer of the Year will open in May 2026.

Dan Calder - CUPOTY

Close-up Photographer of the Year celebrates the art of close-up, macro and micro photography through an annual global competition, themed challenges, newsletter and book.