Now in its eighth year, the Underwater Photo Competition attracts blue planet photographers from all corners of the globe, who reveal the mysteries of the ocean in breathtaking photos.

The Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, organised by the Underwater Photography Guide, has announced its 2019 winners. Over US$85,000 in prizes were awarded to photographers from across 16 different categories. The Best of Show and overall winner is a heart-stopping photo of a crab-eater seal swimming quickly through freezing waters under Antarctic ice by Greg Lecoeur. The winner of the Rising Star Photographer Award and a close runner-up for best of show, was Julie Casey with a jaw-dropping photo of six juvenile seahorses.

Bluewater Photo and Travel owner and Underwater Photography Guide publisher, Scott Gietler commented, "I continue to be amazed by the wonderful images that today's underwater photographers are producing. The two new categories, Conservation and Blackwater, were true standout categories. Especially the Conservation category - the winning images produce powerful emotion, and will influence a new generation of ocean conservation."
See all images here .