Sharks, shipwrecks and a lake full of jellyfish dazzle in underwater photo contest
During the coronavirus pandemic, underwater photographers found quieter, less crowded seascapes. 1 of 28
Sharks at sunset
Sea birds soar overhead as reef sharks swim in a tranquil corner of the Pacific Ocean off the island of Moorea. American Renee Capozzola made many attempts to capture just the right image of the sharks, and apparently succeeded this image won her the title of Underwater Photographer of the Year for 2021. See 27 more award-winning images in our gallery. 2 of 28
Net negative
Italian Pasquale Vassallo captured this image of a small fish tangled inside a yellow plastic net. The discarded plastic takes hundreds of years to break down. The image was named the runner-up in the conservation category.
Sharks swimming at sunset help American win the Underwater Photographer of the Year award msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Lianne Kolirin, CNN • Updated 9th February 2021
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(CNN) American Renee Capozzola has become the first female Underwater Photographer of the Year overall winner after her stunning image of blacktip reef sharks in French Polynesia scooped the award for 2021.
Capozzola s atmospheric shot of the marine predators cruising beneath seagulls at sunset beat more than 4,500 submissions from competitors across 68 countries in the annual contest.
A native of southern California, Capozzola has traveled all over the world with her camera, according to her website.
The winning image, Sharks Skylight, was taken on the Pacific island of Moorea in August. French Polynesia strongly protects its sharks, it is my favorite place to photograph them, she said in a statement released by the contest organizers. I dedicated several evenings to photographing in the shallows at sunset, and I was finally rewarded with this scene: Glass-calm water, a rich sunset,