Photographers who feature tantalizing patterns can make the most of their underwater photography. The July Sport Diver Snapshots Photo Contest featured photos with patterns. Congrats to our winner Alex Oathout, who took this month's top prize with a stunning snapshot of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas. Alex won a Cressi Big Eyes Evolution Crystal Mask (Blue/Clear) & Cressi Dry Snorkel (Blue/Clear)

Here's a look at the winning photo and some of the shots that also blew us away this month.

JOIN THE FUN: Submit your best photo featuring color to our August contest

FIRST PLACE WINNING PHOTO

Judge's Comment: "Pattern comes in all shapes and sizes. The curved line created by the pattern of these beautiful, amazing creatures makes for quite a dynamic image."

Provided Caption: A sub pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins (Stenella frontalis) investigate the diver in the water. They're traveling in their residential waters of the Bahama Banks. Notice how the members in the back slowly break away. They could be traveling for a number of reason such as to meet up with other pod members or switch fishing locations. They cover miles upon miles each day and are constantly moving. These particular dolphins have been interacting with humans for years, so when they decide to interact it's because they want to.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Provided Caption: Love this cute little sharknose goby chilling out between the coral polyps. Captured this photo while night diving in The Bahamas.

Provided Caption: Inside bait ball -- Curacao

Provided Caption: Diving is such a distraction when surrounded by dazzling colors and intricate patterns. These two nudibranchs grabbed my attention while diving the Big Island's Kohala Coast. If there was royalty among nudibranchs, this species would certainly be part of the royal family.

Provided Caption: It is common to see schools of surgeon fish feeding on the coral reefs of bonaire, in this case the school was aligned perfectly leaving in the center a specimen of a very striking white color which makes it the center of attention in the photo.

Provided Caption: Banded coral shrimp picture taken in St. Lucia with a SeaLife DC2000

Provided Caption: Stuck inside a baitball at M5 Reef off of Sarasota FL. Goliath Grouper soon followed! Taken with SeaLife DC2000.

Provided Caption: Christmas tree worms always present eye catching patterns to photographers.

Provided Caption: Hippocampus bargibanti hiding in a sea fan. Batu Bolong, Komodo.

Provided Caption: The pleasing patterns of a huge anemone off Bunaken Island, North Sulawesi