Underwater photographer of the year 2021 and wide angle category winner
Sharks’ Skylight by Renee Capozzola (US), taken near shore of island of Mo’orea, French Polynesia.
Photo Credit: Renee Capozzola
Wide angle category runner-up
Gothic Chamber by Martin Broen (US), taken in Cenote Monkey Dust, Mexico.
Photo Credit: Martin Broen
Macro category winner
Pontohi Pigmy Seahorse by Galice Hoarau (Norway), taken in Siladen Back, Indonesia.
Photo Credit: Galice Hoarau
Macro category runner-up
Larval Lionfish by Steven Kovacs (US), taken in Palm Beach, Florida.
Photo Credit: Steven Kovacs
Wrecks category winner
Bowlander by Tobias Friedrich (Germany), taken near Nassau, Bahamas.
Photo Credit: Tobias Friedrich
Wrecks category runner-up
Reclaimed by the Ocean by Grant Thomas (UK), taken in Aqaba, Jordan.
Photo Credit: Grant Thomas
Behaviour category winner
A Striped Marlinin a High Speed Hunt by Karim Iliya (US), taken in San Carlos, Baja California, Mexico.
Photo Credit: Karim Iliya
Behaviour category runner-up
Face to Face by Zhang Jinggong (China), two punk blenny or Mohican blenny taken in Minabe, Wakayama, Japan.
Photo Credit: Zhang Jinggong
Portrait category winner
Guardian Deity by Ryohei Ito (Japan), Asian sheepshead wrasse taken in Tateyama, Chiba, Japan.
Photo Credit: Ryohei Ito
Portrait category runner-up
Japanese Manefish by Keigo Kawamura (Japan), taken in Ose, Japan.
Photo Credit: Keigo Kawamura
Black & White category winner
The Cut by Diana Fernie (Australia), taken in Leru Cut, Solomon Islands.
Photo Credit: Diana Fernie
Black & white category runner-up
Time Travel by Martin Broen (US), taken in Cenote Chan Hol (Little Hole), Mexico.
Photo Credit: Martin Broen
Compact category winner
Doule (Kuhlia Rupestris) Near the Surface by Jack Berthomier (New Caledonia), taken in Ouenghi River, New Caledonia.
Photo Credit: Jack Berthomier
Compact category runner-up
Rainbow Goby by ManBd (Malaysia), hairy panda goby taken in Lembeh, Indonesia.
Photo Credit: ManBd
Up & coming category winner and most promising British underwater photographer 2021
Tying In by SJ Alice Bennett (Mexico), taken in Cenote Mayan Blue, Mexico.
Photo Credit: SJ Alice Bennett
Up & coming category runner-up
Toward Shining Light by Ryohei Ito (Japan), manta ray taken in Maaya lagoon, North Ari Atoll, Maldives.
Photo Credit: Ryohei Ito
British underwater photographer of the year 2021, British waters wide angle category winner and My Backyard category winner
While You Sleep by Mark Kirkland (UK), common frog taken in Malls Mire, Glasgow, Scotland.
Photo Credit: Mark Kirkland
British waters wide angle category runner-up
The Great Migration by Mark Kirkland (UK), basking shark taken in Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides, Scotland.
Photo Credit: Mark Kirkland
British waters macro winner
Portrait of a Variable Blenny by Malcolm Nimmo (UK), taken in Plymouth Sound, England.
Photo Credit: Malcolm Nimmo
British waters macro runner-up
Stalkie on Bootlace Weed by Alex Tattersall (UK), stalked jellyfish taken in Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset, England.
Photo Credit: Alex Tattersall
British waters living together category winner
SS Hispania by Kirsty Andrews (UK), taken in the Sound of Mull, Scotland.
Photo Credit: Kirsty Andrews
British waters living together category runner-up
Crab Affairs by Atanas Petrov (UK), a couple of brown crabs taken on SS Rosalie, Weybourne, England.
Photo Credit: Atanas Petrov
British waters compact category winner
Sunrise Mute Swan Feeding Underwater by Ian Wade (UK), taken in St Georges Park, Bristol.
Photo Credit: Ian Wade
British waters compact category runner-up
Hold Tight by Sandra Stalker (UK), underwater meadow taken in Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset, England.
Photo Credit: Sandra Stalker
Marine conservation photographer of the year 2021
Aerial View of a Crowded Island in Guna Yala by Karim Iliya (US) taken in Guna Yala, Panama.
Photo Credit: Karim Iliya
Marine conservation category runner-up
The Yellow Candy by Pasquale Vassallo (Italy), taken in Campi Flegrei, Italy.
Photo Credit: Pasquale Vassallo
HomeTopicsWildlifeIn pictures: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 winners
In pictures: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 winners
Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools.
By Australian Geographic•February 23, 2021•Reading Time: < 1• Print this page