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13th Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest Winners Announced

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underwater photography contest

The World’s Premier Underwater Photography Competition Announces Stunning Winners for 2024

The Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, widely regarded as the pinnacle of achievement for underwater photographers, has revealed its winners for 2024. With record-breaking participation from over 90 countries, the competition set a new standard for creativity and technical excellence. From mesmerizing macro shots of marine birth to dramatic wide-angle scenes of cenotes and reefscapes, the winning photographs highlight the beauty, fragility, and diversity of underwater ecosystems while inspiring global conservation efforts.

Honorable Mention, Black & White: Brittany Ilardi,
“Fevered”

Winning photos can be seen at the Underwater Photography Guide at https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/ocean-art-contest-winners-2024

Best In Show

The coveted Best in Show ranking was awarded to Eduardo Labat for his breathtaking image, “Dancing White Tips,” (see main image) taken at Roca Partida, Revillagigedo, Mexico. Labat’s photograph captured a synchronous ballet of white-tip reef sharks in black & white.

Category Highlights

This year’s winners excelled across 14 categories, two highlights included:

  • Black & White: This category was highly competitive this year, celebrating the dramatic interplay of light and shadow in underwater photography:
  • Conservation: This category featured the dramatic plight of Floridian springs as well as an image of a shark captured in a ghost net. This image symbolized the devastating impact of abandoned fishing gear and underscores the competition’s ongoing support for Ghost Diving, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing marine debris.

4th Place Portrait: Ariel Gliboff,
“Family Portrait”

Behind the Lens

Every winning photograph tells a story of perseverance and connection to the ocean. These are just a small selection of the incredible stories and experiences told throughout the competiiton:

  • Born from Mouth: Yoichi Sato recounts an incredible moment with a male Cardinalfish releases a swarm of freshly hatched babies from its mouth.
  • Hunting: Kyungshin Kim’s recounts a captivating moment of squid cannibalism while floating in the open ocean at night.
  • Fevered: Brittany Ilardi’s dramatic image of mobula rays off Baja California reflects the unique choreography of this species.

Organizers and Sponsors Speak

“This year’s Ocean Art competition was nothing short of extraordinary,” said Nirupam Nigam, organizer of the contest and President of Bluewater Photo & Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide. “The talent and vision displayed by our participants have set new benchmarks for underwater photography. These images do more than win awards; they captivate hearts and minds, reaching millions globally and reminding us of our shared responsibility to protect the ocean’s beauty. It’s an honor to see the competition grow in scope and impact every year.”

This year’s judging panel included world-renowned experts in underwater photography including Tony Wu, Marty Snyderman, and Mark Strickland. A special thanks goes to Canon and Marelux Ambassador Ipah Uid Lynn, who joined as a new judge to bring fresh perspectives to the Underwater Digital Art and Underwater Fashion categories. Ipah is an inspiring woman who has pushed the bounds of underwater photography in a male-dominated field. Marelux also played a key role in supporting the competition by sponsoring the top prizes for underwater camera gear.

Over $60,000 in Prizes

The Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition has always been known for having a massive endowment – this year over $60,000 in prizes! Ocean Art prizes are provided by some of the world’s top scuba diving resorts, liveaboard dive yachts, and underwater photo gear manufacturers. Grand prizes include a 7-night dive package at Anthony’s Key Resort in Roatan, Honduras; an 8-day dive trip to the Galapagos aboard the Aqua Liveaboard; a 10-night liveaboard dive trip aboard the MV Oceania in Papua New Guinea; a 7-night liveaboard dive trip aboard the Bilikiki in the Solomon Islands; a 14-night dive trip to Ambon, Indonesia with Spice Island Divers; an 8-day/7-night dive package (12 dives) for two at Meridian Adventure Dive Resort in Raja Ampat, Indonesia; a 10-day/9- night dive trip aboard the Liveaboard Mermaid I or Mermaid II in Raja Ampat or Komodo; a 7-night dive cruise aboard Coralia in Indonesia; a 4-night dive trip for two divers (4 dives each) at Atmosphere Resort & Spa in the Philippines; a 5-day/4-night stay with 7 dives for two people at Akaya Bali & All 4 Diving; a 6-night dive package at Aiyanar Dive Resort in Anilao, Philippines; a 7-night dive package with El Galleon/Asia Divers in Puerto Galera, Philippines; a buy-one-get-one-free 10-dive package with Sea Saba; two Marelux Apollo III Strobes with Lumilink; two Marelux Apollo S Strobes with Lumilink; a Marelux SOFT Lite Snoot with Dock; Marelux Auto Pumps; Marelux Flexibouys; an Ikelite DS-230 Strobe with a modeling light; a $300 gift certificate with Ultralight Camera Solutions; and a variety of gift certificates from Bluewater Photo and Bluewater Travel.

Exhibition and Global Recognition

Winning images will be showcased in over 250 global media outlets, including prestigious print, online, and TV publications. These images continue to inspire audiences, reinforcing the importance of marine conservation and the incredible artistry of underwater photography.

Complete list of winners:

Best in Show

“Dancing White Tips” by Eduardo Labat

Wide Angle

1st Place: Hwanhee Kim

2nd Place: Julian Gunther

3rd Place: Todd Aki

4th Place: Mehmet A. Gungen

5th Place: Julian Gunther

Honorable Mention: Eduardo Acevedo

Honorable Mention: McKenzie Spalding

Macro

1st Place: Adam Martin

2nd Place: Imogen Manins

3rd Place: Claudio Zori

4th Place: Jeongin Kim

Honorable Mention: Dr. Tom Shlesinger

Honorable Mention: Suliman Alatiqi

Marine Life Behavior

1st Place: Yoichi Sato

2nd Place: Reiko Takahashi

3rd Place: Kirsty Andrews

4th Place: Suliman Alatiqi

5th Place: Keigo Kawamura

Honorable Mention: Ines Goovaerts

Honorable Mention: Shuo-Wei Chang

Portrait

1st Place: Stefano Cerbai

2nd Place: Eduardo Acevedo

3rd Place: Martin Broen

4th Place: Ariel Gliboff

5th Place: Ilaria Mariagiulia Rizzuto

Honorable Mention: Olivier Clement

Honorable Mention: Földi László

Coldwater

1st Place: James Emery

2nd Place: Kat Zhou

3rd Place: Jeongin Kim

Honorable Mention: Massimo Zannini

Honorable Mention: Jill Crosby

Nudibranch

1st Place: Borut Furlan

2nd Place: Jenny Stock

3rd Place: David Pleuvret

4th Place: Ken Keong Chong

Honorable Mention: Mark Chang

Blackwater

1st Place: Kyungshin Kim

2nd Place: Kat Zhou

3rd Place: Yoichi Sato

4th Place: Steven Kovacs

Honorable Mention: Enrico Somogyi

Honorable Mention: Bo Pardau

Underwater Conservation

1st Place: Kimber Greenwood

2nd Place: Tom Vierus

3rd Place: Dawn McDonald

Honorable Mention: Olivier Clement

Underwater Digital Art

1st Place: Unkoo Kim

2nd Place: Jenny Stock

3rd Place: Lorenzo Terraneo

Black & White

1st Place: Eduardo Labat

2nd Place: Sylvie Ayer

3rd Place: Borut Furlan

Honorable Mention: Brittany Ilardi

Honorable Mention: Xaime Beiro

Underwater Fashion

1st Place: Lucie Drlikova

2nd Place: Anna Aita

3rd Place: Claudia Weber-Gebert

Compact Wide Angle

1st Place: Marco Lausdei

2nd Place: Enrico Somogyi

3rd Place: Marco Lausdei

Honorable Mention: Jack Berthomier

Honorable Mention: Nancy Berg

Compact Macro

1st Place: Naomi Springett

2nd Place: Enrico Somogyi

3rd Place: Jayson Apostol

Honorable Mention: Kathrin Landgraf- Kluge

Compact Behavior

1st Place: Naomi Springett

2nd Place: Nemer Chua

3rd Place: Wendy Biscette

Honorable Mention: Grzegorz Krysiak

The Underwater Photography Guide is the #1 destination for all things underwater photography. Featuring highly-regarded tutorials, technique tips, in-depth gear reviews, amazing international workshops and breaking u/w photo news, UWPG is here to help divers around the world achieve their photo and video goals. For more information, please visit http://www.uwphotographyguide.com

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Filming 360 in The Bahamas

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In December 2024, the Shark Trust had a very special opportunity to film sharks and rays in The Bahamas. Frogfish Photography are the Bahamas Dive Ambassadors for the UK. And Caroline, Deputy Editor at Scubaverse, is the Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust. So, when the need arose to film footage of several species of shark and ray for a new Shark Trust project, The Bahamas seemed the perfect fit. A huge thank you is needed here to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. As they stepped in to fully support the trip both financially and practically. Ensuring that the filming expedition ran smoothly, and that we got as much time as possible in the water with sharks and rays, during the 10 day, 3 island trip.

The Bahamas is famous for its sharks and rays. Divers flock there to experience getting up close to a range of species. Our itinerary saw us visit Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama. It packed in as many in-water experiences as possible and had us dive, snorkel, and even take a submarine to experience them in a variety of different habitats and to capture them on film. We saw 148 sharks and rays from 8 different species (all of which have been logged on the Shark Trust Shark Log!).

But why were we there? The expedition was designed to fulfil the needs of two new projects being launched by the Shark Trust in 2025. The filming done underwater on this trip was the start of creating OneOcean360: A Shark Story. A new 360 immersive experience designed primarily for immersive domes and planetariums. The film will be the nearest experience to getting in the water with sharks and rays without getting wet! It will bring the world of sharks to an audience that may never get the chance to experience it first-hand. A Shark Story aims to deepen people’s understanding of sharks, uncovering and illustrating why they are so wonderful as well as being vital to marine ecosystems.

The film is being made in collaboration with Real Immersive. Also based in Plymouth, they have an immersive dome and are providing the technical expertise behind creating this unique experience. Reviewing the footage in the dome has been an invaluable part of the process. Both inspiring the team and allow us to refine the filming techniques to suit this immersive theatre.

You might imagine that we are using expensive cameras and even more expensive housings. But this is not the case. The entire project is being filmed using Insta360 X4 cameras. With only a few simple additions to the standard dive setup. The INON weight plate allowed us to attach this camera to a dive weight, set it down on sand or wreck, and then swim away and let the sharks be the stars. And the results are very exciting. The film will be ready this autumn. It will be accompanied by an educational pack for teachers to take away after school trips to see the film. Encouraging all those that see it to continue learning about these incredible animals.

You can support the creation of OneOcean360: A Shark Story by heading to the crowdfunder page and donating or selecting a reward.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-shark-story


Read about the shark and ray dives we did on Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama in our next blog post coming soon on Scubaverse.

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PADI Global Membership Contributes to Study That Indicates Revival of MPAs Would Bolster Billions for the Industry

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marine protected areas

Scientists, including those from National Geographic Pristine Seas, find scuba divers are willing to pay more to seek adventure in Marine Protected Areas, estimating an additional USD 2.7 billion spent per annum.

11 February 2025 – PADI®, the world’s largest scuba diving organisation, has been working with National Geographic Pristine Seas for the last three years to help identify the positive effects of protecting scuba diving sites around the world – which was recently published in new peer-reviewed research.

marine protected areas

PADI’s global membership of 6,600 PADI Dive Centres and Resorts in over 180 countries helped National Geographic Pristine Seas assemble a database that estimated the number of scuba dives annually, the extent to which protection would increase biomass and biodiversity in an area, and a scuba diver’s willingness to pay access fees to dive in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

As a result, the study found that more fully protected dive sites would generate an estimated USD 2.7 billion in additional income globally for the scuba diving industry, most of which would come from access fees paid by divers directly to local communities. This additional protection would also help regenerate marine ecosystems and a new long-term income source for these coastal economies.

marine protected areas

“Bottom line, ocean protection benefits marine life, coastal communities and businesses,” remarked Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas. “Protecting diving sites from fishing and other damaging activities can generate new streams of income and benefit more people. It’s increasingly clear that efforts to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 are even more beneficial than we thought.”

marine protected areas

These research findings directly align with the goals of PADI’s Blueprint For Ocean Action– in which safeguarding recreational dive hotspots around the globe would deliver a host of benefits to tourists, local communities, and marine life. In 2022 PADI Iaunched an ambitious new initiative to establish the world’s largest network of conservation sites aimed at protecting ocean habitats and species threatened with extinction. Supported by Blancpain, founding partner of PADI’s MPA Program, the Adopt The Blue™ program activates a global network of dive sites across the planet to establish more Marine Protected Areas to regenerate local economies and coastlines.

marine protected areas

“By PADI joining forces with like-minded global partners such as National Geographic Pristine Seas, we will exponentially increase our positive impact for saving the ocean,” said Dr. Drew Richardson, President & CEO of PADI. “With more marine protected areas, we can reinvigorate the diver experience and regenerate hope for the ocean; and with that comes more people who are inspired to explore the ocean and become Torchbearers to further advocate for safeguarding its future.”

marine protected areas

Since 2008, National Geographic Pristine Seas has helped establish 29 of the largest MPAs in the world, covering a total area of 6.9 million square kilometers – more than twice the size of India. Their latest peer-reviewed research joins their resume of over 300 that have already been published.

marine protected areas

“If you protect a marine area, more recreational divers will show up and they’ll pay more for the privilege of seeing sensational underwater life,” said Reniel Cabral, a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University and the study’s lead author. “Communities and businesses are leaving money on the table by overlooking the benefits of marine sanctuaries.”

marine protected areas

Other key findings from the most recent study include:

  • Some 33 million dives take place in the ocean each year, but only 15% of dive sites are fully protected from fishing and other destructive activities
  • More MPAs estimated to increase the number of dives annually by 32% (10 million + more per year)
  • Egypt, Thailand, and the US host the most scuba diving annually (est. USD 3 million annually)
  • Indonesia, Egypt, and Australia host the most dives within MPA borders annually
  • The Philippines, the US, and Indonesia would benefit the most economically from designating sanctuaries in popular diving spots.
  • The Global South — host to some 62% of recreational dives — is poised to gain the most.

marine protected areas

“The potential for the recreational diver industry to create positive ocean change is unparalleled,” continues Richardson. “As the only global community to have the superhero skills to descend beneath the surface and both connect with and help the marine world directly, there is a massive opportunity to change the way we all seek adventure.  As the world’s largest scuba diving organisation, we can play a key part in reaching the global target of 30% protection by 2030 and enrich both ours and the ocean’s livelihood simultaneously.”

marine protected areas

To help PADI advocate for the establishment of more MPAs, visit padi.com/aware/AdoptTheBlue

National Geographic Pristine Seas

Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to help protect vital places in the ocean using a unique combination of research, community engagement, policy work, and filmmaking. Since 2008, our program has conducted more than 45 expeditions around the world and helped establish 29 marine reserves, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean.   Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.

About PADI 

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organisation with a global network of 6,600 dive centres and resorts, 128,000 professional members, and more than 30 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean TorchbearersTM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARETM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.SM  www.padi.com

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