20 underwater photos that illuminate creatures dwelling in the dark depths

Underwater photography is no easy feat, especially in the dark.

But the photographers featured in the annual Underwater Photographer of the Year competition manage to illuminate the dark depths, uncovering just a skerrick of the creatures that dwell beneath the surface — one marine scientists admit we've "barely scratched."

The UK-based competition has celebrated underwater photography since 1965, attracting photographers from all over the globe. There are 13 categories in the competition including macro, wide angle, portrait, behaviour, marine conservation, and wreck photography, and there are four that are specifically dedicated to British waters.

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American photographer Renee Capozzola took the Underwater Photographer of the Year title for her stunning image "Shark's Skylight," which was shot in August 2020 on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia.

"In French Polynesia there is strong legal protection for sharks, allowing them to thrive and balance the marine ecosystem," Capozzola's statement reads. "I spent several evenings in the shallows at sunset, hoping to capture something unique...Since many shark species are threatened with extinction, it is my hope that images of these beautiful animals will help promote their conservation."

SEE ALSO: The deep sea discoveries of 2020 are stunning

Here's the winning photo below, along with some of the other winning and runner-up photos that we absolutely love. Each will remind you of exactly what we have to lose if we don't tackle climate change immediately, as oceans take significant strain from an unrelentingly warming planet.

"Shark's Skylight" by Renee Capozzola. Taken on Moorea, French Polynesia. Underwater Photographer of the Year. Credit: RENEE CAPOZZOLA / UPY 2021 "Tying in" by SJ Alice Bennett. Taken at Cenote Mayan Blue, Sistema Ox Bel Ha, Tulum, Mexico. Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year. Credit: SJ Alice Bennett / upy 2021 "While you sleep" by Mark Kirkland. Taken at Malls Mire, Glasgow, Scotland. British Underwater Photographer of the Year. Credit: Mark Kirkland / UPY 2021 "Jellyfish galore" by Oleg Gaponyuk. Taken at Jellyfish Lake, Palau. Credit: Oleg Gaponyuk / UPY 2021 "Gothic Chamber" by Martin Broen, Taken at Cenote Monkey Dust, Mexico. Credit: martin broen / upy 2021 "Larval lionfish" by Steven Kovacs. Taken at Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. Credit: Steven Kovacs / UPY 2021 "Grey seal gully" by Kirsty Andrews. Taken at Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK. Credit: Kirsty Andrews / UPY 2021 "Doule (Kuhlia Rupestris) near the surface" by Jack Berthomier. Taken at Ouenghi River, New Caledonia. Credit: Jack BERTHOMIER / UPY 2021 "Crab affairs" by Atanas Petrov. Taken at the SS Rosalie, England, UK. Credit: Atanas Petrov / UPY 2021 "Sunrise mute swan feeding underwater" by Ian Wade. Taken at St Georges Park, Bristol, UK. Credit: Ian Wade / UPY 2021 "Rainbow goby" by ManBd. Taken at Lembeh, Indonesia. Credit: ManBd / UPY 2021 "Golden hour at the Georgios" by Renee Capozzola. Taken at Neom, Saudi Arabia. Credit: Renee Capozzola / UPY 2021 "Face to face" by JingGong Zhang. Taken at Minabe, Wakayama, Japan. Credit: JingGong Zhang / UPY 2021 "Reclaimed by the ocean" by Grant Thomas. Taken at Aqaba, Jordan. Credit: Grant Thomas / UPY 2021 "Resplendence - Black browed Albatross" by Danny Lee. Taken at Bay of Fires, Tasmania, Australia. Credit: Danny Lee - Submerged Images Tasmania / UPY 2021 "Dream ship" by Chien-Ting Hou. Taken at  Anilao, Philippines. Credit: Chien-Ting Hou / upy 2021 "Pinky" by Sandra Stalker. Taken at Portland Harbour, Dorset, UK. Credit: Sandra Stalker / UPY 2021 "Bowlander" by Tobias Friedrich. Taken near Nassau, Bahamas. Credit: Tobias Friedrich / UPY 2021 "The great migration" by Mark Kirkland. Taken at Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Credit: Mark Kirkland / UPY 2021 "A striped marlin in a high speed hunt in Mexico" by Karim Iliya. Taken in San Carlos, Baja, California, U.S. Credit: Karim Iliya / UPY 2021

Check out the website if you'd like to learn more about the stories behind the photos.

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