"From my own point of view, I have been captivated not only by the winning images but also by the stories behind how those images were achieved. The conception, the planning and the physical effort to achieve a successful result; it is those efforts that we, as judges, pay our respects to by taking out two days to meet up, sit together and look in detail at all the images. It is a mammoth task but one that we all agree is a privilege to be part of."
Peter Rowlands, Chair of the jury 2017

Read more: http://underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com/2017winners.aspx