A beetle locked in battle. A spider frozen mid-hunt. Tiny guni erupting like alien sculptures on a rotting log. These are just some of the beautiful photographs from the 2025 Close-Up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) shortlist, revealed after 22 judges spent 20 hours scrutinizing 15,5557 entries from across the globe.
About CUPOTY
Close-Up Photographer of the Year was based in 2018 by Tracy and Dan Calder. It is the most important competitors on the planet devoted to close-up, macro, and micro pictures.
The contest invited photographers from all ranges and corners of the globe to showcase their best close-up work, captured with any digicam, digicam telephone, and even microscope. Because on the planet of macro and micro pictures, the tiniest topics inform the most important tales.
And this year’s shortlist captures these tiny creatures with impressive details and mind-blowing precision. It offers a sneak peek at the extraordinary creativity and technical skill behind the images – while also moving the photographers closer to the £2,500 grand prize.
Shortlist highlights
Category: Underwater Underwater-
Pygmy Seahorse by Suliman Alatqi
Category: Arachnids
Veil Of Renewa by Rafael Steinlesberger
Category: Invertebrate Portrait
Gnat Ogre by Benjamin Salb
Category: Arachnids
Wasp Spider Courtship by Bart Heirweg
Category: Plants
Rose Thorns by Donald Bolak
Category: Insects
Bee in Flight by Uwe Zimmermann
Category: Insects
The Beauty of Natural Cycles by Jan Pokluda
Category: Insects
Light Trap by Imre Potyó
Category: Intimate Landscape
After the Rain by Csaba Daroczi
The Top 100 images and the overall CUPOTY 2025 winner will be revealed in January 2026, yet the most captivating images are already in view. Here are some standout highlights from the shortlist.
For the full CUPOTY 2025 shortlist, visit the CUPOTY website, the place works span classes together with: Animals, Insects, Arachnids, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art, and Young Photographers.
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