Photography helps us see our planet (and beyond) in a whole new way. Here at D’Marge, we’ve marveled at the world’s incredible wildlife, pondered the mysteries of the galaxy, and gazed at our favourite cities from space.

Our next photographic adventure takes us into territory normally only seen by scuba divers. The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest has announced the winners for 2017, giving us a rare peek at how sea creatures hunt, swim, and play below the surface.

French diver Gabriel Barathieu scooped up the top prize for his photo Dancing Octopus. The image captures the graceful cephalopod in a lagoon in Mayotte, off the south-east coast of Africa. Judge Alex Mustard called it “both balletic and malevolent.”

“This image shows that the octopus means business as it hunts in a shallow lagoon,” Mustard said. “The way it moves is so different from any predator on land, this truly could be an alien from another world. A truly memorable creature, beautifully photographed.

Judge Peter Rowlands praised its “vibrant contrasting colours, detailed delicate textures” and “perfect pose.”

RELATED: Winners From The 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards

The year’s other big winners are Nick Blake (who took British Underwater Photographer of the Year for his image Out of the Blue), Horacio Martinez (who won Up-And-Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year for Oceanic in the Sky), and Nicholao Georgiou (who scored Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of the Year for Orca Pod).

Winners and runners up were also announced in a variety of categories, including Macro, Wrecks, Behaviour, Wide Angle, and Portrait. You’ll find a selection of the best above and all winners of the 2017 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition here.

The post Dive Into The Best Images Of The Underwater Photographer Of The Year Contest appeared first on DMARGE Australia.