After sifting through 2,560 submissions in the 15th year of this contest, our judges were still amazed by the unique view applied to well-known subjects. As the winning shots by Florent Gooden makes evident, there's always a new way to present the wonders of our underwater world. Check out all of the winners here and see our conversation with Gooden below.

Behind the Shot: This was on the second day of cage diving along the coast of Guadalupe Island in Mexico. There had not been much action since the morning, but staying as long as possible in the cold water finally paid off when a huge 17-foot great white shark showed up. It came to check the tuna bait, then disappeared in the deep. Using the proper hunting behavior of the great whites, it came up at full speed and breached to get the tuna. It went so fast that I almost didn’t see it coming, giving me just enough time to adjust my framing as it entered the water with jaws wide open in a massive splash, creating all these bubbles around it.

Camera Gear: Canon 1DX Mark II in an AquaTech housing; Canon 24mm f/1.4 lens

Settings: f/5.6, 1/640, ISO 400

Prize: Trip aboard Roatan Aggressor

First Place Winner, Behavior: Florent Gooden

Age: 27

How Long a Shooter: Professional in sports photography since 2012; shooting underwater only since 2018

How Long Diving: Since 2017

Favorite Underwater Camera: My Canon 1D X Mark II; it’s a beast! It’s very fast, and I’m very comfortable with it as it’s my daily camera.

See amazing images from Scuba Diving's 2019 Underwater Photo Contest

AWARDS:
2018 - 3rd place, Malta International Photo Award

What’s your most unforgettable moment underwater? That massive great white shark breach for sure. It was so impressive and happened so fast! I’m sure you could’ve seen a big smile on my face despite the regulator when I looked at the result on the screen.

How would you describe your photography style? As a sports photographer, I always look for a nice action moment. I think this ability helped me to get that shot right. I’m also a fan of strong contrasts and backlit shots, to create abstract images and have silhouettes.

What’s your favorite underwater subject? Sharks, definitely. I’ve always been amazed by them, even when I wasn’t a diver.

What made you want to get into the water? The idea of going underwater has always been attractive. Until I got down there, I just didn’t know if I would feel good or not! So I had to try, and I’m glad I did. It’s such a beautiful and relaxing world. Being a photographer as a day job, after a few dives, I just had to bring my camera with me.

What's your advice for those entering their first photo contest? Don’t hesitate to participate in contests if you feel you have a picture that’s worth it. Everyone has different tastes; the most important thing is your choice and what you like about your picture, so don’t be disappointed if your image doesn’t get chosen, as so many good images could actually win. Enjoy shooting and keep trying!