Stunning shots from an underwater photography competition

By Jim Leffman via SWNS

From a tiny fish hiding from predators inside a jellyfish to a scary close-up of a moray eel, these are some of the winners in an underwater photography competition.

More than 1,600 pictures from all over the world were entered for the 2022/23 underwaterphotography.com contest judged across 10 categories.

Overall winner and crowned World Champion for his portfolio is Glenn Ian Villanueva from the Philipines, a tax consultant who dreams of taking his hobby full-time.

His stunning shot of a fish in a jellyfish, hiding from predators won gold in the macro swimming section.

He said: "Diving is miles apart from my profession but it is exactly what I need to survive in the corporate jungle.

"The warm and sometimes cold water as you descend underwater offers the perfect
environment for the busy mind to cool down, to relax and be creative.

"I love the underwater world and I dream of doing this full-time one day."

Moray eels were a popular theme and his fellow countryman Penn de los Santos won prizes with two examples.

This close-up of a fearsome specimen taken in the waters off the Philipines won gold in the macro super macro section.

And he also bagged gold in the macro not swimming category for this 'Three-headed eel' pic of three moray eels peering out of the same crevice.

The competition allows for creativity, not just aquatic life and French photographer Jerome Mirande exemplified this with his bronze in the over/under category for this 'mermaid' shot taken in Corsica.

He said: "All my photos are taken freediving."

Kurt Storms from Belgium grabbed silver in the wide-angle wreck section which covers anything manmade that is sunk.

He got this crystal clear shot of the wreck Ghianis D in Egypt's northern Red Sea, which was carrying a cargo of wood when it hit a reef and sank in 1983.

Another Filipino Glenn Carballo got this pic of a colourful nudibranch which got him gold in the macro category.

There wouldn't be an underwater photo competition without a picture of a shark and South African Allen Walker got bronze for this black-tip shark.

He said: "Just as imminent as the storm brewing in the background of this image, so the survival of many species relies on like-minded people who want to protect them.

"They have no voice and a big shout out to all that make their plight heard."

Competition organizer Tal Mor said that with Covid now over, the number of submissions at 1,682 was 40 percent up on the 2021/22 competition.

In all 219 were chosen to go to the final judging.

He added: "The UnderwaterPhotography.com photo contest is the longest-running and most prestigious online, or off.

"If you want to make a name for yourself it is the place to do it.

"One of our medals is the reward for all the hard work underwater photographers put in chasing those great shots in far-flung destinations.

"It's the industry's most coveted prize because it says you succeeded in the most competitive environment there is, against the top talent of the moment."