The Promising Eye: Natalie Yarrow on Her Award-Winning Year

It is a thrill to see a new name rise through the ranks of the underwater photography world, especially one who combines technical curiosity with a genuine passion for the marine environment. In this edition of Inside Scuba, we sit down with Natalie Yarrow, who was recently crowned the 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year’s Most Promising British Underwater Photographer.

From "MacGyvering" broken strobes in the Cayman Islands to capturing the intricate, "bokeh" world of Balinese hingebeak shrimps, Natalie's journey is a testament to the power of persistence, mentorship, and a bit of cold-water ambition. Here is our conversation on awards, evolution, and her mantra of shooting for yourself.

Inside Scuba: Congratulations on recently having been recognised as the most promising British underwater photographer. What did that award mean to you personally?

Natalie Yarrow: Thank you very much. It means a huge deal to me. I remember seeing this particular award a few years ago, together with the prestigious names of previous recipients. I imagined how amazing it must feel to win it, assuming I would never be in with a chance. I therefore couldn’t believe it when I received the news that I had been awarded it this year.

Inside Scuba: When you look back at your early days underwater, what were the key moments or challenges that shaped you into the photographer you are now?

Natalie Yarrow: Having had my first underwater camera for a while, I was becoming frustrated at my inability to do photographic justice to the beautiful scenes I was witnessing. I decided I needed to go right back to basics and do a workshop, and I was lucky enough to get a spot on one of Alex Mustard’s trips in the Cayman Islands. Things didn’t start off as planned. When I arrived, it transpired that I had somehow managed to break one of my strobes in transit! Alex Macgyvered a second strobe and a makeshift sync cable for me (thanks to Jon Barron’s 3D printer!), so I was still able to participate. Having survived the week with my wonky set-up, I came away with a new-found appreciation for the importance of correct technique in lighting, quality of light, composition, and subject-selection. I also left with a new group of inspiring dive-photographer buddies, and most crucially, a shopping list of new strobes and accessories…

Inside Scuba: Your shooting career has accelerated quickly. How did you manage to learn so much and make such progress in a short time?

Natalie Yarrow: For macro, I have to thank you guys [Byron and Andy] for my learnings. I went to Lembeh with you specifically to learn macro, and I’ve never looked back. Before this trip, I had zero interest in macro photography and would assume it was a slow day on the reef if a dive guide showed you a nudibranch! This trip completely changed my opinion; I fell in love with the subjects, realised how technical, artistic and creative macro can be, and discovered that macro allows you to show off the personalities of small creatures in a unique way. I was instantly hooked. I would also like to call out Dive Into Lembeh for hosting these trips. Having a supportive, efficient and relaxed resort behind you, with excellent dive guides, great food and warm staff, means everything runs smoothly in the background so you can focus on your macro subjects - literally!

When I’m not in the water, resources I find super helpful are the monthly meetings with the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP), including their competitions with feedback, the Underwater Photography Show with Alex Mustard and Matt Sullivan (on YouTube), and dive publications such as Inside Scuba.

Inside Scuba: Many of our readers are working towards developing a recognisable style. At this stage in your career, do you feel you have found your photographic voice, or is that still evolving?

Natalie Yarrow: I’m still very new to this, but I suspect photographic voice and style is something that is constantly evolving, even in the most famous of photographers. That’s because photography is a two-way street. You can have your own ideas and imagination as to how you want to shoot things, but ultimately you never know what the subject or scene is going to give you. Maybe it’ll do something you weren’t expecting and inspire you to try something different to what you had envisaged. The combination of the photographer’s flexible creativity and the magic of whatever happens on the day is what allows them to discover new styles and expressions of their visions.

Inside Scuba: Can you talk us through your winning image and explain the thinking, preparation, and emotion behind it?

Natalie Yarrow: My photo “Crowded House” is of some hingebeak shrimps living in a barrel sponge in Tulamben, Bali. These shrimps were actually a bit of a B-roll critter— I originally went to the barrel sponge looking for purple hairy squat lobsters, when a group of shadowy, dancing figures caught my eye. Once I saw what they were, I instantly fell in love with their big turquoise beady eyes. I started by taking a portrait of a couple of individuals. I then tried capturing a few of them together in the frame, to show how tightly-knit their living situation was, and also how their colouring matched that of their spongy home, allowing for great camouflage. The key to this photo was a stepped depth of field: a wide aperture to draw the eye deeper into the sponge, but then fine-tuning the F stop: I wanted it to be narrow enough to make the second shrimp behind the subject just out of focus but still recognisable, and wide enough to turn those individuals at the back into a fuzzy bokeh of dots and lines.

Inside Scuba: As someone labelled as promising, there can be both opportunity and pressure. How do you balance external expectations with staying true to what excites you creatively underwater?

Natalie Yarrow: My friend and very talented wildlife photographer Victor Soares recently gave me some fantastic advice which resonated with me: “shoot for yourself”. Don’t shoot for what you think other people might like, or for competitions, or for social media. Shoot what you love and how you like to shoot. If you don’t, then how can your work be a true expression of yourself? You must believe in your own work, or no one else will. This is the mantra I am taking forward.

Inside Scuba: If there’s one bit of advice you could give new or aspiring underwater photographers, what would it be?

Natalie Yarrow: There are so many things that can (and will!) go wrong in underwater photography (strange settings on your camera, flooded strobes, forgotten gear, autofocus switches accidentally knocked to manual..). It is sadly part of the hobby and every time something happens, you learn for next time. Being part of a supportive group is indispensable in navigating these challenges, as undoubtedly someone will have encountered the same issue before you, or at least will have suggestions for trouble shooting. Similarly, once you’ve made your mistakes, you’ll be armed with knowledge which one day you will be able to pass on to the next poor soul who suffers the same fate. A karma of sorts.

Inside Scuba: For younger or newer photographers reading this who might feel intimidated by the current standard of underwater imagery, what practical advice would you give them about improving and gaining confidence to enter competitions?

Natalie Yarrow: Just keep entering, with no expectations. You never know what the judges might like, or what other photos are in the competition. A particular photo might catch a judge’s eye, despite having been eliminated early on in every other competition you’ve entered it in. If you’ve submitted your photos, then whatever happens, you know you’ve done the best you could by you.

Inside Scuba: Looking ahead, what stories or subjects are you most excited to explore next and what are your photographic ambitions?

Natalie Yarrow: I am a massive wimp when it comes to cold water (I’ll be the one in head-to-toe 5mm neoprene even in 30 degree (86 F) water, still complaining I’m cold). I realise, however, that I’m consequently missing out on half of the dive world. There is so much fantastic scenery and innumerable unique species to enjoy in cold water locations. I therefore plan to get drysuit certified and learn to dive comfortably with my camera in cold water. Ultimately, I’d love to dive Gods Pocket and Antarctica, although I appreciate I’ll need a fair few cold water dives before I’m ready for that!

About Natalie