Photographer captures species capable of diving at up to 53mph – faster than Olympic divers! His image 'Sunball Rocket' just won the grand prize in the world's largest bird photography competition

Underwater view of a Northern Gannet swimming through green water toward the camera, with sunlight filtering from the surface. — The winner of the world's largest bird photography competition showcases a northern gannet in hunting mode, shot with a full-frame mirrorless camera and fisheye lens (Image credit: © Henley Spiers / Bird Photographer of the Year)

Known as the largest photography competition in the world, the Bird Photographer of the Year winner was just announced. The major honor goes to British underwater photographer, writer and expedition leader Henley Spiers for his image Sunball Rocket.

The shot showcases a northern gannet bursting through the sun as it pierces down through the water in Scotland, United Kingdom.

Spiers explains that when northern gannets are in hunting mode, their body shape shifts into a "pointed torpedo, diving into the water at speeds of up to 86kph." This speed is not even achieved by Olympic divers, who will not exceed 60kph.

Grand prize: 'Sunball Rocket'

The Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye launched in 2017 for Nikon F-mount and acts both as a circular fisheye on FX cameras and as a diagonal fisheye at the long end. To use this lens on his mirrorless full-frame camera, Spiers must have used an adapter like the Nikon Mount Adapter FTZ II (Image credit: Future)

Overall Winner
Gold Award in Birds in the Environment

Image info
Title: Sunball Rocket
Species: Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus
Location: Shetland, Scotland, United Kingdom

Tech details
Camera: Nikon Z8
Lens: Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye
Underwater housing: Nauticam NA-Z8
Exposure: 1/200sec, f/11, ISO 500

Spiers says, "The handsome northern gannets lead a dualistic existence. In the nest, their newborn is carefully nurtured and a couple’s bond is reinforced by pointing sharp beaks to the sky as they tenderly stroke their white necks together.

"In flight, hunting mode takes over, and piercing yellow eyes, fringed with blue circles, scour the sea for prey. Their long wingspan and streamlined bodies make flying look effortless, gliding along with just the occasional pulse of their wings.

"When fish are spotted, the gannets fly into the wind and stretch out their wings as brakes, precisely adjusting their position in relation to their quarry."

Discover more award-winning images on the Bird Photographer of the Year website.

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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Kim covers everything from breaking industry news and camera gear to the stories shaping photography today. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, she explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture.