The Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition has been running for the past seven years, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide. The winners of the 2018 contest have recently been announced, and it’s a gallery of truly stunning images. We bring you the winning photos of the contest, and they all show the incredible diversity and breathtaking beauty of the underwater world.

In its seventh year, the 2018 contest was the most competitive so far. Thousands of photos from 70 countries were submitted, and over $80,000 in sponsor prizes have been awarded to the winners. This makes the Ocean Art prize value among the highest in the world.

The photographers submitted their images to compete in sixteen different categories. According to the organizers, they wanted to ensure a competitive contest for all levels and disciplines of underwater photography. The categories even include different types of cameras: compact, mirrorless, and DSLR.

Among the sixteen category winners, the overall winner was also selected. The Best of Show is a photo by Duncan Murrell, showing three Giant Devil Rays performing a “ballet.” Other winning and shortlisted photos are no less exceptional. They show us some stunning fish and other marine life, rarely seen animal behavior and animal portraits. They present us some innovative shooting techniques, take us to ocean adventures, and even show some dramatic moments between humans and marine life. The judges evaluated thousands of entries, and I believe that choosing the best of the best was not an easy task at all!

You can see the 1st place category winners below, and make sure to visit the Underwater Photography Guide’s website and check out the entire gallery. If you’re into underwater photography, I’m sure you’ll love it!