IT is a breathtaking glimpse of sea birds as you’ve never seen them before.
Three gannets with beaks outstretched plunging into eerily lit waters battling to snare fish for their dinner.
Now the internationally renowned Southampton photographer behind the iconic picture has scooped himself a prestigious award for his stunning work.
Photographer and marine biologist Dr Matt Doggett (pictured above) has been named British Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2015.
And the distinguished awards proved a double celebration with his wife Polly Whyte announced as runner-up in another category.
It come as Matt, who works as a marine biologist, urges, people to back a campaign for extending marine conservation zones to protect Britain’s coastal wildlife.
Matt, 36, from Lordswood, captured the winning image off the Shetland Islands with the help of Polly and friend Richard Shucksmith who were tossing fish to the birds.
The image also clinched the British Wide Angle category while Matt attained runner-up in the British Macro category with a highly commended photograph of a puffin dipping its beak in the water, and another of a hermit crab.
Meanwhile, Polly, 32, (pictured below) was announced runner-up in the British Compact Camera category for her striking picture of hermit crabs photographed in Lochcarron in north-west Scotland, among four other images.
Matt said he is “thrilled” at the announcement and added: “We knew we had some strong images but never in a million years expected this result.
“It’s brilliant and hopefully the competition will help show everyone what wonderful life we have in the seas around the UK and encourage more people to support marine conservation zones that are currently out for public consultation.”
The pair have won new camera housings and dive equipment from sponsors Nauticam and Apeks presented to them at the Diver Magazine London International Dive Show on Valentine’s Day.
World leading photographer and UPY chairman Alex Mustard, also from Southampton, was on the three-man judging panel.
He said: “The quantity and particularly the quality of the images entered left us all astounded. It was a privilege to be part of something so special.
"It was heart-warming to see the competitions so enthusiastically embraced by the community, heartbreaking at times when we just couldn’t squeeze some truly amazing images into the winners’ circle.”
Matt was named British Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2012 for a different image of gannets.
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