British Photography Awards 2020 Shortlist

"Whether snorkeling, breath holding, or using scuba, we are but brief visitors to beauty of the underwater realm." Copyright © 2019 Matt Jacobs

The British Photography Awards has released their 2020 Shortlist gallery of 320 images showcasing the best of British photographic talent. 

Ikelite Ambassadors Matt Jacobs (@narcosispictures) and Grant Thomas (@grantthomasphotography) were recognized in the Water life category along with Ikelite users Andrew Pearson and Gina Goodman.

Matt Jacobs took the cover photo of a freediver underneath a boat in the Egyptian Red Sea using a Panasonic LUMIX GH5 mirrorless camera with 8mm fisheye lens. Matt is also a Panasonic LUMIX Ambassador in addition to being a professional videographer. Though he hails from the the UK he considers Egypt to be his spiritual home.

"Jardines de la Reina, Cuba. I slipped slowly into the water and made my way towards his open mouth full of sharp teeth. Inch by inch I moved closer until I was almost touching his nose with my camera. My heart was racing but I managed to relax and keep my cool long enough to photograph this excellent smile." Photo copyright © 2019 Grant Thomas

Grant Thomas, who appeared three times on this year's shortlist, was named British Underwater Photographer of the Year in 2018. Grant currently shoots a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye and dual DS161 strobes.

The British Photography Awards celebrates talent from British-born and British-based photographers. The competition is run as a non-commercial non-profit entity through partnerships with a range of UK charities including the World Cetacean Alliance and the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust.

Additional Reading

Behind the Shot: DEEP Indonesia Best of Show Over-Under

The Rapture of the Deep | Maldives with the Panasonic GH5

Behind the Shot: Best Digital Artists Awards 2018

The Rapture of the Deep | Maldives with the Panasonic GH5

Tonga Underwater with Humpback Whales and Grant Thomas