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A French biologist and underwater photographer has been named as this year's Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year with his captivating image of fish spawning.
Laurent Ballesta was selected as the winner of the competition following the submission of his 'enigmatic image' Creation, which captures camouflage groupers exiting their milky cloud of eggs and sperm in Fakarava, French Polynesia.
Over the past five years, Mr Ballesta and his team returned to the lagoon many times, diving day and night so they did not miss the annual spawning that only takes place around the full moon in July.
Ballesta's photo shows a trio of camouflage groupers exit their milky cloud of eggs and sperm, winning him the Grand Title Winner award at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards 2021
His image was selected out of more than 50,000 entries from 95 countries, and named the winner at a virtual awards ceremony at the Natural History Museum in central London.
Chairwoman of the judging panel, writer and editor Rosamund 'Roz' Kidman Cox, said: 'The image works on so many levels.
'It is surprising, energetic and intriguing, and has an
