The greatest underwater photographs from around the world: Winning entries selected from thousands...

The greatest underwater photographs from around the world: Winning entries selected from thousands of amazing aquatic imagesBy Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 19:14 EST, 27 February 2014 | UPDATED: 20:03 EST, 27 February 2014

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2569692/The-greatest-underwater-photographs-world-Winning-entries-selected-thousands-amazing-aquatic-images.html#ixzz2ulDKPqHP Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookFrom a the wreck of a Japanese warplane to grinning great white sharks, these are just some of the thousands of entries in the largest underwater photography competition.Nearly 8,000 pictures were entered for the underwaterphotography.com competition with 17 categories from above water, to wrecks, sharks and even underwater fashion featuring models.And after the judging was finally completed, Belgian photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, who is based in the Cayman Islands, was declared World Champion after only three years of diving.Some of the more unusual creatures captured on camera that won medals were a dugong in the Red Sea by Christian Schlamann from Germany in the Wide Angle Marine life category, Israeli Gleb Tolstov with his close up shot of a smiling salt water crocodile in Cuba in the Wide Angle Close Focus and Doris Vierkotter's shot of a fish trapped in the jaws of another in the Macro Close Up category.Tal added: 'The UnderwaterPhotography.com photo contest is the longest running and most prestigious online, or off. If you want to make a name for yourself it is the place to do it.'

Hello: This incredible image of a marine mammal earned Ellen Curlaerts first place in the Freshwater category

Under the sea: Christian Schlamann of Germany clinched second place in the Wide Angle Marine Life category with this picture

The monochrome shipwreck under the sea near the Cayman Islands, left, won Mis Cuylaerts first place in the Wide Angle Wrecks category. Right, a diver inspects a school of fish in a photo which won Kazakh photographer Nadya Kulagina first place in the Wide Angle Divers category

Keeping the side up: British photographer Paul Colley took first prize in the Wide Angle Marine Life category with this picture of a school of fish

Chiaroscuro: This remarkable photograph of light streaming beneath the water onto a school of fish won Ellen Cuylaerts second place in the Wide Angle / Natural Light (no strobe) category

Monster of the deep: This whale descending into the abyss won Canadian Shane Gross third place in the Wide Angle / Natural Light (no strobe) category

What a grin: Danish photographer Rasmus Raahauge submitted this picture of a great white, earning him fourth place in the Sharks category

Camouflage critter: This picture by Andre Philip of Germany won second place in the Sharks category

Winning shot: But the top prize in Sharks was taken by Petteri Viljakainen from Finland with this picture

Nereid: This picture of a woman beneath the water with a bunch of flowers won Dmitry Vinogradov first place in the Fashion section

Ethereal: Nadya Kulagina won second place in the Fashion category for this photograph of a model floating beneath the waves in a translucent white dress

Secrets of the sea: A Japanese warplane Second World War lies wrecked in shallow water off Guam in a photograph which won Tony Cherbas second in the Topside category

Marjan Radovic's photograph of a woman diving in an urban waterway won him bronze in the Over/Under competition

Expert timing: Doris Vierkotter's shot of a fish trapped in the jaws of another won her a silver medal in the Macro Close-Up category

Colours: Marchione Giacomo took first in the Macro Nudibranchia category with this incredible photograph

Goos ven der Heide of the Netherlands won first place in the Macro Close-Up category with this image of a sea horse

Jeremy Axworthy won first place in the Temperate Waters category with this picture of a jellyfish

Odd couple: These curious critters won German photographer Uwe Schmolke third place in the Macro Swimming category

Minnow: Italian snapper Marchione Giacomo won first place in the Macro Swimming category with this marvellous picture

Peeking out: Ellen Cuylaerts again shows her talent with this picture in the Macro Not Swimming category, which won her a second place in that competition

Having a snail of a time: But it was Italian Giuseppe Piccioli who took the Macro Not Swimming crown with this image of a marine invertebrate

Savage: Israeli Gleb Tolstov took second place in the Wide Angle Close focus with his close up shot of a smiling salt water crocodile in Cuba

Turtle power: Helmy Hashim was awarded first prize in the Wide Angle Close Focus category for this amazing close up of a turtle on the sea bed

Open wide... South African Valda Fraser won bronze with this gaping fish entered into the Wide Angle Marine Life competition

Streaming light: Nadya Kulagina won the Wide Angle (Natural Light) category with her shot of the sun's rays coming through the trees taken underwater

Snapper: Austrian Wolfgang Zwicknagl won second place in the Over/Under category with this fish who looks ready to spring on to land

Worthy winner: But first in the Over/Under category went to German photographer Uwe Schmolke for this picture of a diver in a subterranean lake