Underwater photography opens up a dimension of Mother Earth we don't normally see. Blackwater diving and shallow reef paddling would be incredibly hard to explain if it wasn't for the vivid images people brought from beneath the surface. Celebrating the beauty of waters from all over the world, the 7th Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest has just announced its winners, and the pictures speak for themselves.

"The purpose of the [competition] is to find and promote the world's best underwater photographers and their work," Underwater Photography Guide's Managing Editor Nirupam Nigam told Bored Panda. "We'd also like to bring public awareness to the beauty of marine life and the necessity of its conservation. Ocean Art is about discovering and putting a spotlight on new/innovative photographic techniques, amazing animal behaviors, and the beauty of the world's oceans."

The judges evaluated thousands of entries from 70 countries before deciding which of them deserved to receive the over $80,000 in sponsor prizes across 16 different categories. "The 2018 competition was our most competitive year to date with a record number of entries. Images from this year's competition show just how far underwater photographic technology and innovation from underwater photographers have come. As this innovation continues, we have seen a shift in preferred subjects for underwater photographers. It would seem that more photographers are now confident in shooting large pelagic subjects such as sharks, rays, humpback whales, and crocodiles. Although these are impressive subjects by themselves, we looked for the very best photos regardless of the subject. This year we saw an increase in entrants from Asia."

Scroll down to check out the best images from the competition and read the stories behind them!

More info: uwphotographyguide.com