Alvaro Herrero has been named the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year. The Spanish photog earned the honor for his shot of a mother humpback whale with her newborn calf. His photo, titled “Radiant Bond” and taken in French Polynesia, beat out some 6,700 submissions from around the globe.

“The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy,” Herrero said in a press release. “The calf is releasing a few bubbles underwater showing it is still learning to hold its breath properly. For me, this photo really shows a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean.”