The 2025 Close-Up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) competition has unveiled its remarkable shortlist, showcasing some of the most breathtaking macro and micro photographs captured around the globe. After 22 judges spent 20 intensive hours reviewing 15,557 entries from photographers worldwide, the selection reveals an extraordinary world of tiny subjects captured with stunning detail and precision.
Founded in 2018 by Tracy and Dan Calder, Close-Up Photographer of the Year has grown to become the world's largest competition dedicated exclusively to close-up, macro, and micro photography. The contest welcomes photographers of all skill levels from every corner of the globe, encouraging them to showcase their finest close-up work captured with any device - whether traditional cameras, smartphones, or even microscopes.
This year's shortlist presents a captivating collection of images that demonstrate the incredible creativity and technical expertise required in macro photography. Featured works include a beetle locked in dramatic battle, a spider frozen mid-hunt, and tiny fungi erupting like alien sculptures on a rotting log. Among the standout images is Andrei Chetronie's "Leafcutter Bee" in the Invertebrate Portrait category, showcasing the intricate details of this essential pollinator.
The competition spans multiple specialized categories, each highlighting different aspects of the microscopic and close-up world. Categories include Animals, Insects, Arachnids, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art, and Young Photographers. Notable entries include Suliman Alatqi's underwater pygmy seahorse photograph, Rafael Steinlesberger's "Veil Of Renewa" featuring arachnids, and Benjamin Salb's striking "Gnat Ogre."
The technical mastery displayed in the shortlisted images is particularly impressive, with photographers capturing subjects ranging from Bart Heirweg's wasp spider courtship ritual to Uwe Zimmermann's perfectly timed bee in flight. Donald Bolak's detailed rose thorns study and Jan Pokluda's "The Beauty of Natural Cycles" demonstrate the artistic potential of botanical macro photography.
Photographers have also explored the dramatic interplay of light and shadow in their work, as evidenced by Imre Potyo's "Light Trap" in the insects category and Csaba Daroczi's atmospheric "After the Rain" in the intimate landscape division. These images prove that in the world of macro and micro photography, even the smallest subjects can tell the most compelling stories.
The competition's judges faced the challenging task of selecting the most exceptional images from thousands of submissions, looking for technical excellence, artistic vision, and the ability to reveal hidden worlds invisible to the naked eye. The diversity of subjects and techniques represented in the shortlist reflects the global reach and growing popularity of close-up photography.
The Top 100 images and the overall CUPOTY 2025 winner will be announced in January 2026, with the grand prize winner receiving £2,500. Until then, photography enthusiasts can explore the complete shortlist on the CUPOTY website, where each category reveals new perspectives on the microscopic worlds that surround us daily. The competition continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in close-up photography, inspiring both seasoned professionals and emerging photographers to explore the extraordinary beauty found in the smallest details of our natural world.
