So much goes on under the water. There are floating jellyfish, mating frogs, and schools of great white sharks.

These winning photographs from the 2022 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition captured so much of the activity above and below the water. The images were chosen from 4,200 underwater photos entered by photographers from 71 countries. 

Based in the United Kingdom, the annual competition honors photos taken beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers, and swimming pools. The first Underwater Photographer of the Year was named in 1965. The competition now has 13 categories, as well as four that are specific to photos shot in British waters.

The photo above, “Great White Split,” was a runner-up in the portrait category and winner of the British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2022 award.

Matty Smith describes his photo, taken in the North Neptune Islands of Australia:

“I had wanted to shoot a charismatic over/under portrait of a great white shark for a couple of years. Some techniques I had previously tried failed terribly, so this time I designed and constructed my own carbon pole and remote trigger. This enabled me to safely lower my camera and housing into the water with my own 12” split shot dome port attached. Surprisingly the sharks were instantly attracted to the camera with no extra bait needed, in fact it was a battle to stop them biting the dome port! We had wonderfully calm seas and nice evening side lighting for this naturally lit image.”

Here are some of the other winners in the competition.

Wide Angle Winner and Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2022

The overall winner of the competition also featured sharks.

Rafael Fernandez Caballero of Spain shot “Giants of the Night” in the Maldives.

Competition judge Alex Mustard said of the winning photo, “It is said that Jacques Cousteau only saw three whale sharks in his whole life, so a photo of five together is something special. But this stunning image is about far more numbers, although it required precision timing to find a moment that they would all fit in frame and with all their faces visible. In the dead of night, the biggest migration of life on occurs when billions on plankton rise from the depths. And here have aggregated in the golden lights of a boat providing a feast fit for giants. Darkness was the opportunity, but also the photographic challenge for Rafael to see and successfully photograph such a grand scene in the inky sea. What a spectacle, a frame with more life than water.”

Behaviour Winner and My Backyard Winner

“All You Need is Love” was photographed by Pekka Tuuri in Vantaa, Finland.

Tuuri said of the image:

Macro Winner

Javier Murcia photographed “Mimicry” in Cartagena, Spain.

Marine Conservation Winner

Thien Nguyen Ngoc won the marine conservation category and honors as the “Save Our Seas Foundation” Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2022 with “Big Appetite” taken in Vietnam.

Most Promising British Underwater Photographer

Paul Pettit shot “Diamonds and Rust” around Swanage Pier, England.

British Waters Macro Winner

Dan Bolt photographed “Best Buddies” in Loch Carron, Scotland.

British Waters Wide Angle Winner

Henley Spiers captured “Gannet Storm” in Scotland.