Amazing underwater scenes and marine lives captured by award-winning photographer

The Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest organizers have announced the winning photographs of 2017 and they are breathtakingly beautiful.  These rare images of fantastic creatures in their natural habitat is a purely refreshing sight.

This year’s winner is Gabriel Barathieu who captured a stunning image of an octopus swimming in a lagoon on the island of Mayotte. Gabriel Barathieu beat competitors from 67 different countries. Have a look at these superb photographs from among the best Underwater Photographers in the world–they will stun you with their beauty and artistry.

A dancing octopus skims between the bottom of the ocean and the surface

The stunning and luminous larval lionfish creates a beautiful fan shape

A whale calf poses for a photograph, calmly checking out the photographer

The last flight–the resting place of this plane is captured in the eerie, murky waters

Prey? An amazing creature spies a smaller animal in the darkness

Incredible beads of water

Green turtles gliding through the rays

A prehistoric imp of darkness

A highly decorative Medusa Blenny on the lookout

May I help you?

An incredible journey in and out of the blue

These underwater photos show us the beautiful space of the sea–a marvelous world of water, creatures and colors.