The Underwater Photographer of the Year awards winners has been announced, with breathtaking images of mostly hidden worlds.
This year saw a record-breaking 5,500 entries from 500 photographers. The diverse entrants included photos taken in the polar oceans to swimming pools.
Each photographer received points for a photo that placed in the top 10 of each category. Then according to a hierarchy of winners, each chose their prize from the pool.
Prizes in the pool include expert underwater camera equipment, cash prizes, travel vouchers and wetsuits.
The competition judged photographs in twelve main categories: Wide angle, macro, wrecks, behaviour, portrait, black&white, compact, up&coming, British waters wide-angle, British waters macro, British waters ‘living together’ and British waters compact.
There were two additional categories, Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year and Underwater Photography Book of the Year. Have a look at the impressive winners:
Underwater Photographer of the Year and Wide Angle winner
‘Frozen Mobile Home’/ Greg Lecoeur
Up and coming Underwater Photographer of the Year
‘Lemon shark pups in mangrove nursery’/Anita Kainrath
British Underwater Photographer of the Year
‘Rabbit Fish Zoom Blur’/Nicholas More
Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of the Year
‘Commotion in the Ocean’ /Nur Tucker
Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year
‘Last Dawn, Last Gasp’ /Pasquale Vassallo
Underwater Photography Book of the Year
‘AQUA, mysteries of the underwater world’/ Pietro Formis
Macro Winner
‘Goby Goodness’/Hannes Klostermann
Wrecks Winner
‘The Engine’/Tobias Friedrich
Behaviour Winner
‘Octopus Training’/Pasquale Vassallo
Portrait Winner
‘Butterfly Effect’/Lilian Koh
Black & White Winner
‘Layered Thoughts’/Mok Wai Hoe
Compact Winner
‘ULUNA LILY’/MANBD
British Wide Angle Winner
‘Jewel Reef’/Arthur Kingdon
British Waters Living Together Winner
‘Pier nursery’/Dan Bolt
British Waters Compact Winner
‘Smile’/Colin Garrett
