Photo contest showcases dreamlike underwater worlds

Camels in underwater photography? The winning photo in the portrait category of the "Underwater Photographer of the Year" competition was not taken in a vast ocean, but in the drinking bucket of a herd of camels. The camel's hairy snout gently pushes through the surface of the water toward the camera, a kiss seems inevitable.

The main winner of the competition is this photo by Alvaro Herrero entitled "Radiant Bond." The Spanish photographer, whose artist name is Mekan, captured this majestic moment of two humpback whales in French Polynesia. The whale accompanies her young to the surface for a few breaths, surrounded by the bright rays of the morning sun.

This photo from an underwater cave in Yucatan, Mexico, transports the viewer into a dreamlike world. Surreal stone formations grow from the ceiling and floor in the clear water. Sophisticated diving techniques and photographic accuracy contributed to the magic of this image.

The expectations of an underwater photo are turned upside down in this shot: Is the diver flying through the northern lights or are we seeing special effects from an old science-fiction movie? No, it's a diver swimming through the underground lakes of a cave in Cancun, Mexico. The photographer patiently chose the right time of year and weather conditions to create the fantastical lighting effects.

This shipwreck lies more than 100 meters (about 320 feet) below the surface, off the coast of Egypt. Immersed in dim light, overgrown with seaweed, algae and coral, surrounded by shoals of fish: this award-winning photo awakens a thirst for adventure.

Who comes to visit me in my green-blue underwater kingdom, this seal seems to ask in a friendly manner. The portrait of the seal was taken off the rugged British Atlantic coast near North Devon. A group of gray seals lives off the island of Lundy, in a marine area that has been protected since 1973.

These Indonesian fishermen are carrying a captured tiger shark out of the water. One of the millions of sharks killed every year, this one has been caught in the men's net. The viewer suddenly becomes aware of the cruel reality of this toll through the photo. The haunting image was chosen as the winner of the "Save Our Seas" category.

The blue marlin is a lightning-fast, feared hunter in the underwater world. Here, the large swordfish plunges into a school of sardines at high speed as the smaller fish scatter in the bright blue water. Eduardo Acevedo captured this moment full of movement in the midst of the hunt, a photographic feat that was recognized by the 2025 jury.