Beautiful images from the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016 contest

This stunning photo of a seahorse in the waters of Trieste, entitled Gold, has won the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016 contest. Italian underwater photographer Davide Lopresti won the competition, beating off entries from 54 different countries to win prestigious photography award.

Davide Lopresti (Italy) - Gold

Winner: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016

Winner: International Macro

Pier Mane (South Africa) - Three Pillars - Practice, Patience & Luck!

Winner: Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year

Winner: Up & Coming

Dan Bolt (UK) - Catshark Supernova

Winner: British Underwater Photographer of the Year

Winner: British Waters Macro

Marty Engels Dunmore - Fired up and "almost" ready to go

Winner: Most Promising British Underwater Photographer 2016

Runner up: Up & Coming Worldwide

Mike Korostelev (Russia) - Underwater Fisherman

Winner: International Wide Angle

Thomas Heckmann (Germany) – A Family Affair

Winner: International Wrecks

Richard Carey (Thailand) - Turtle eating Jellyfish

Winner: Behaviour

Marcus Blatchford (UK) - Part of the Illusion

Winner: British Waters Wide Angle

Paul Colley (UK) - Hello Ducky!

Winner: British Waters Compact

And now for a few of the best underwater pictures from the rest of the finalists:

Tobias Friedrich (Germany)

Commended: Wide Angle

Matteo Visconti (Italy) – Spotlight

Commended: Macro

Oliver Anlauf (Germany) – Bass

George Stoyle (UK) – Planktonic Predator

Runner Up: British Macro

Paolo Bausani (Italy) – Pair of fish cleaners in action on parrotfish

Highly Commended: Behaviour

Will Clark (UK) – Blue Blur

Commended: British Waters Wide Angle

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