Sometimes, the most striking images come not from exotic places but from ordinary moments seen differently. That’s exactly the idea behind this year’s Close-Up Photographer of the Year “Something Beautiful” challenge. With a focus on finding wonder in commonplace subjects, the contest invited photographers to find beauty in unexpected corners.
Related: Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Stunning Winning Pics
The top prize went to a beautiful iPhone shot of a puddle—proof that timing, perspective, and a sharp eye matter more than gear. Alongside the winning image, ten other photos captured quiet, intimate moments that many of us would walk past. Here are the 11 images that captured the judges' attention.
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1. “Puddle Reflection” © Linda Repasky | cupoty.com. Overall Winner.
As autumn strips the trees of their leaves, the landscape often becomes stark and serene. However, in a small puddle, the photographer discovered a delicate world. Reflections of bare branches, gentle colors, and scattered acorns united to create an unexpectedly lively scene.2. “At the Hub” © Michael Friel | cupoty.com. Second Place.
Every fall, tiny spiders weave their webs across tree branches, often going unnoticed until the morning light catches them just right. As the sun climbed behind the shimmering threads, the photographer was treated to a dazzling display. The spider sat still while its web danced gently in the light breeze, creating a striking contrast of structure and color that disappeared by midday.
3. “Tulip Gift in Ice” © Kathleen Clemons | cupoty.com. Finalist.
Aging tulips reveal new dimensions when frozen, their petals creating striking textural contrasts against the ice that forms around them in shallow pans.
4. “Deluge” © Noelle Bennett | cupoty.com. Finalist.
Submerged achillea flowers take on dramatic new forms when photographed with evaporating milk swirling through water.
5. “Puffin Profile” © Alex Pansier | cupoty.com. Finalist.
The vibrant beak of an Atlantic puffin stands out even in the dark, its shape accentuated by soft lighting that adds a touch of atmospheric contrast and understated elegance.
6. “Green Meshweaver” © Ryan Dale | cupoty.com. Finalist.
Patience proves essential when photographing tiny Green Meshweaver spiders, where even slight breezes can disrupt attempts to capture their intricate web retreats.
7. “Miracle” © Yann Raulet | cupoty.com. Finalist.
What began as an unsuccessful kingfisher shoot turned into capturing the hypnotic dance of water ripples and pond skaters moving across the surface.
8. “Squid on the Run” © Alessandro Grasso | cupoty.com. Finalist.
Night diving in Egypt's Red Sea offers fleeting moments with marine life, like the brief encounter with a squid that darted away after only two frames.
9. “Slime Moulds and Reflections” © Kamilla Szava-Oberndorfer | cupoty.com. Third Place.
Tiny Physarum specimens on a Vienna forest floor present immense photographic challenges, requiring focus stacking to properly capture their minute water droplet reflections.
10. “In the Shelter of the Mushroom” © Tibor Litauszki | cupoty.com. Finalist.
A failed mushroom photo shoot ended with an unexpected reward for the photographer: a 3.5mm springtail, whose movement turns cold air into a lovely light show.
11. “Wild Welsh Pony” © Richard Sambrook | cupoty.com. Finalist.
From behind, wild Welsh ponies provide a surprising amount of access, with one pony's unusual markings and pose creating abstract potential.
As autumn strips the trees of their leaves, the landscape often becomes stark and serene. However, in a small puddle, the photographer discovered a delicate world. Reflections of bare branches, gentle colors, and scattered acorns united to create an unexpectedly lively scene.
