The best underwater photos of the year reveal shipwrecks, sharks, and terrifying deep-sea creatures

Amid the depressing news about warming oceans and impending extinctions, images of vulnerable and amazing species can serve as a reminder of what environmental activists are fighting to save.The UnderwaterPhotography.com photo contest is a long-running and prestigious online photo competition that showcases the colorful denizens of the oceans.Here are our 26 favorite images from the contest's pool of winners and runner-ups this year.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.For most of us, it's extremely difficult to observe ocean animals in their natural habitats — let alone capture pictures to show our friends later. But that's not the case for these award-winning photographers.UnderwaterPhotography.com recently announced the winners of its annual photo contest for the 2018-2019 year.The contest is one of the longest-running and most prestigious online photo competitions — every year, hundreds of photographers from around the world submit thousands of photographs in a range of categories, from “Close-ups” to “Wrecks.” Images are judged by a group that includes industry professionals, previous competition winners, and UnderwaterPhotography.com moderators. This year, photographers submitted 4,121 entries. Only a few dozen walked away with medals in each category.Read More: On Earth Day, stunning photos reveal the fragility and resilience of the planet and its animalsWe've republished some of the winning photographs here in select categories. Take a look.