39 incredible award-winning underwater photos that will take your breath away
- The winners of the 7th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest have been revealed.
- The awards showcase the best in underwater photography and shine a light on what lurks in the depths of the sea.
- The prestigious awards see over $80,000 in prizes being awarded to the winning photographers.
The darkest depths of the ocean remain a mystery to most of us — a world very few people get to experience.
However, thanks to intrepid divers armed with expert cameras, we can get a flavour of what lurks below.
The winners of the 7th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest have just been announced, and the photos are incredibly striking.
They offer a fascinating insight into the creatures of the deep, capturing everything from dolphins to turtles interacting with the camera.
Read more: 25 breathtaking underwater photos
Over $80,000 in prizes have been awarded across 16 different categories, including Wide Angle, Marine Life Behavior, Portrait, Cold Water, and Underwater Art, making the Ocean Art prize value among the highest in the world.
Scroll down to see the breathtaking winners, along with some of our favourite shots from the competition.
"Courting Devil Ray Ballet," Duncan Murrell — Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philippines
The photo captures spinetail devil rays in rarely observed courtship — with two males pursuing one female.
"Burst," Tyler Schiffman — Monterey Bay, US
Schiffman says: "I had framed this shot waiting for a sea lion to swim by. After five minutes, one swam up and paused for a few seconds, I took three photos and as rare as it was the moment left in a blink of an eye."
"Curiosity," Kyler Badten — Haleiwa, Hawaii
Badten says: "I turned to see this turtle swimming directly at me, which was a truly remarkable behavior that I have never experienced before. As I set up to capture the unique encounter, the curious turtle saw her reflection and continued to slowly approach until nearly bumping my dome!"
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