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Winners of the 2019 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest (24 photos)

Organizers of the Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest announced the winning photographers and images for this year, with photographer Richard Barnden from the UK being named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019. More than 5,000 images were submitted by photographers from around the world. Prizes and commendations were handed out in categories including Wide Angle, Macro, Wrecks, Behavior, Portrait, Black & White, Compact, Up & Coming, and, in British waters, Wide Angle, Living Together, Compact, and Macro shots. UPY was once again kind enough to share some of this year’s honorees with us below, with captions written by the photographers.

Caretta Caretta Turtle: Winner, Marine Conservation and “Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2019”. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) spend much of their life in the open ocean. They come to the Canary Island after crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Caribbean beaches. In this trip of many years they often have to avoid many dangerous traps like plastics, ropes, fishing nets etc. In this particular case this one got trapped in a net and it was practically impossible to escape… but this day it was very lucky, and thanks to the help of two underwater photographers who were sailing near her, was able to escape. (© Copyright Eduardo Acevedo / UPY2019)
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/02/winners-2019-underwater-photographer-year-contest/583639/