2013 Ocean Art Photo Competition

Brent Durand

Announcing the 2013 Ocean Art Photo Competition, brought to you by the Underwater Photography Guide.

Ocean Art Photo Competition 2013

Our 2011 Contest featured $82,000 in prizes

Winners choose their own prizes

3 Categories dedicated to Compact Camera users, 12 categories total

Submission Period Begins: July 10, 2013

Deadline: November 11th, 2013

Late entries accepted until 11:59PM Nov 13th for $2 extra per photo

Submit underwater photos taken anywhere, anytime

Judges include world-renowned underwater photographers Tony Wu, Martin Edge, and Todd Winner

Open to all photographers

Entry Form Link • Entry Fee Info • Rules • Category Details • Judges • Prize Details

(This link will be activated when contest opens on July 10, 2013)

View the 2011 Ocean Art winning photographs

View the 2010 Ocean Art winning photographs

Please scroll down to view our sponsors and the amazing prizes

2011 Contest Sponsors Included:

CHECK BACK SOON FOR FULL LIST OF 2013 SPONSORS!

Kungkungan Bay Resort (KBR) is located in the very heart of the Lembeh Strait, giving access to fifty dives sites, all within minutes of their private jetty. An intimate and exclusive resort, Kungkungan Bay Resort has a friendly, professional team who will look after your every need from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart. All rooms are sea-facing, and their unique over-the-water restaurant inspires visitors with its spectacular views of their exclusive house reef, the Lembeh Strait, and the nearby tropical islands. Kungkungan Bay Resort is sponsoring a 10-night all-inclusive package for 2 people upgraded to the Owner's Suite, 9 days of diving including 27 boat dives plus free unlimited shore diving, AND 9 days of their Private Guide Service.

Walindi resort, in Kimbe Bay Papua New Guinea, has been voted to have the "best diving from a resort anywhere in the world" by reader surveys. The liveaboard FeBrina, one of the most famous liveaboards in the world, cruises from her home port, Walindi, visiting areas further afield such as Witu Islands, Fathers Reefs - some of the best diving on the planet. Unusual critters, 900 species of fish, sharks, barracuda, jacks and more await you. Walindi is sponsoring 14 nights in Papua New Guinea - 10 nights on the Febrina, 4 nights at Walindi + the prize includes 4 nights at Loloata. 18 nights total!

SMY Ondina, a romantic and modern wooden schooner, runs fantastic Indonesia liveaboard adventure safaris to dive Komodo, Fak Fak, Flores, Sulawesi and the Raja Ampat area - some of the most amazing waters in the world. Eight air-conditioned double cabins with en suite bathroom guarantee a level of comfort you’ll appreciate. The SMY Ondina is sponsoring an 11 day trip on their liveaboard for ANY of their scheduled cruises + 50% off your companion

Experience the Socorro Islands (aka the Revillagigedos Archipielago) and explore fantastic areas while diving with giant mantra rays, sharks, large yellow fin tuna and wahoo, dolphins, whale sharks and humpback whales. All this from the comfort of the Rocio Del Mar. Rocio Del Mar is sponsoring a trip to the Socorro Islands and 50% off a companion.

Kararu liveaboard scuba diving adventures visits a range of remote and exciting locations in the Indonesian archipelago. From the famous islands of Komodo to the historically important Banda Sea and as far as Raja Ampat and Fak Fak , our cruises offer something for every scuba diver. Kararu Dive Voyages is sponsoring an 11 day trip on the vessel KLM Aurora.

Nai'a has set new standards of live-aboard diving luxury in every way, especially in comfort and service. This extremely spacious ship provides for 18 guests (maximum) with all the creature comforts of a quality land-based resort - including hot showers and cool staterooms - but with superior diving and a new view every day! Nai'a is sponsoring a seven day charter on in Fiji for one person.

Wananavu is a true Fijian experience - offering an island paradise experience with mainland convenience. From beginners to experienced divers, there is something for everyone at Wananavu. Wananavu is sponsoring 5 nights' accommodations for two people in best room category available, plus 3 days of 2 tank diving, all meals, and Nadi Airport transfers.

The Maluku Divers Resort in Laha is one of the must visit locations in any diver’s Indonesian dive list. The only dedicated dive resort in Ambon, the facility was built specifically with divers in mind and boasts the most unique and comfortable accommodations in the whole of Maluku. Maluku Divers Resort is sponsoring a one-week package for two people which includes 7 nights' accommodations, 6 dive days and 18 dives.

The Nautilus Explorer is a luxury safari boat specializing in pampering small groups of scuba divers on unique diving adventures up and down the west coast of North America. Our beautiful ship was custom-designed and built for divers with features including a sparkling-clear hot tub, ample fresh water to shower whenever you like, extensive sound proofing with near-silent generators, cabins with side-by-side beds, and safety second-to-none. Nautilus Explorer is sponsoring any trip to Socorro or Guadalupe.

Light & Motion is the company behind the popular Sola dive and photo lights as well as several video housings. Light & Motion is sponsoring with their Sunray LED 2000x Light System.

Some consider Lissenung Island Resort the ultimate paradise. Imagine a small tropical island covered in palm trees, surrounded by a white sandy beach, a beautiful house reef and some of the best diving in the world. Lissenung Island is located just off Kavieng, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea. Nestled amongst natural surrounds, traditionally built bungalows accommodate a max. of 14 guests. Forget your high heels, tropical attire is our dress code. At Lissenung Island Resort, personal service is guaranteed and a visit here is truly exclusive!
Lissenung is sponsoring a 10 night stay at their resort + diving.

Bilikiki offers liveaboard dive trips in the Solomon islands, from ships consistently rated among the best live-aboards in the world, with some of the best diving in the world. You'll have a good opportunity to see sharks, mantas, dolphins, and turtles, barracuda, and more varieties of coral than almost anywhere. Bilikiki is sponsoring an 7 night trip on one of their liveaboards.

Bluewater Photo is the first premiere underwater photo & video store to open in Los Angeles county. It is run by well-known underwater photographers Scott Gietler, Mark Strickland and Todd Winner. They dive everything they sell, so be sure to contact them with any questions you may have.

Kosrae Island is truly a hidden treasure, tucked away in the Federated States of Micronesia on top of some of the most lush and healthy coral reefs in the world. Kosrae Nautilus Resort caters to divers who are looking for remote, uncrowded, pristine reefs. They offer complete dive, accommodations and meals packages. Kosrae Nautilus resort is sponsoring a week-long dive vacation for 2.

Villa Markisa is an exclusive resort located on the north east coast of Bali. Nestled at the foot of Bali’s most famous volcano “Gunung Agung”, the private bungalows offer individual service and great attention to detail. Bali's famous Liberty Wreck is minutes away, and the house reef has hundreds of nudibranch species. Villa Markisa is sponsoring a 7-night stay in the deluxe bungalow, full board, and diving.

Since 1969 Mike Ball has been setting standards in the Australian dive industry with exceptional liveaboard expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Mike Ball is sponsoring a 4-night, 14-dive adventure to the pristine Ribbon Reefs north of Cooktown and the remote Coral Sea.

A cruise on board the Hans Christian Andersen has all the makings of a fairytale come true. HCA is sponsoring an 8-day / 7-night live-aboard in the Philippines which will take their Northern Route, which visits the breathe-taking beauty of the limestone peaks of Northern Palawan, Tubbataha Reefs (Mecca of Philippine diving), or the Southern Route which is rich in both wide angle, macro photo opportunities and topside activities.

Atlantis Dive Resorts offer one of the best outstanding value for a first class dive vacation in the world today. They are located in Dumaguette and Puerto Galera, Philppines. Atlantis Dive Resorts is sponsoring a 7-night dive vacation at either resort.

Siladen resort and spa is an upmarket resort, located in the heart of Bunaken marine reserve in Sulawesi in an exclusive location, with unbelieveably great diving just minutes away. They offer an elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Siladen resort is sponsoring a week-long dive vacation.

Ikelite has a long history of making strobes, dive lights, underwater housings and more for photographers worldwide since 1962, and are famous for their commitment to excellent customer service. Ikelite is sponsoring a DS161 Substrobe with charger and two PCa LED flashlights.

Sipadan Kapalai dive resort is an oasis on stilts in paradise. You have mind-boggling diving with big fish nearby at Sipadan island, a great house reef just steps from your door and wonderful critters at Mabul.

Recsea is the manufacturer of some of the finest, most compact aluminum housings on the planet - known for their light weight, precise controls and excellent ergonomics. Recsea is sponsoring a Canon G12 housing.

Sea & Sea is on of the best known names in underwater imaging equipment, offering high-quality housings, strobes and much more. Sea & Sea is sponsoring a YS-110a strobe, and a YS-01 strobe.

Club Ocellaris is a dive resort, underwater photography center, and secret of many famous photographers. Situated in Anilao, Philippines, it is near some of the best macro and nudibranch diving in the world. Club-O is sponsoring a 7-night stay at the resort including meals and diving.

Two Fish Divers is located in an unbelievable great location on Bunaken Island, Sulawesi - close to excellent diving. They also have a resort in nearby Lembeh, so an underwater photographer can split their time between the two resorts. Experience beautiful corals, lots of fish, amazing small critters, and some larger exciting creatures including reef sharks, turtles and barracudas.

Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire is a resort where you can DIVE DIVE DIVE, take part in a multitude of activities including Bonaire's excellent drive and dive shore diving, or just sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Bonaire's calm clear waters and multitude of fish are perfect for underwater photography.

Aquamarine Diving Bali is well known for specializing in custom Bali dive safaris for divers and underwater photographers. They offer fast boats, great accommodation options and experienced guides that know where all the best photo subjects are.

Kona Honu Divers is locally owned and operated. From the moment you step into the shop or prepared to board one of our boats, the "Honu One" or the "Honu Iki", you become part of our "ohana" or family. Our dives are guided by knowledgeable instructors who brief you on what to expect to see before you enter the water. Encounters with dolphin, turtles, and manta rays are common in the placid Kona waters and other visitors make special appearances to assure that every dive can turn into something extraordinary.

Loloata Island Resort, just minutes from the Port Moresby airport in Papua New Guinea, means great diving, and a chance to observe some of the world's greatest coral reefs and meet a myriad of marine animals in their natural habitat. Underwater photo enthusiasts find a dazzling array of great fish, corals and invertebrate subjects only minutes away from the dock aboard a new deluxe dive boat. Loloata is sponsoring a 4-night stay in conjunction with the premiere prize from Walindi/Febrina.

Sea Saba is your paradise in the Caribbean. It offers unspoiled diving with no cruise ships or shopping malls. They pride themselves on the highest levels of service.

Olympus has been an innovative leader in cameras and underwater housings for beginners and pros alike. Olympus is proud to offer a new compact camera and underwater housing as a prize.

Tulamben Wreck Divers is located in Tulamben, Bali at a fantastic location near the liberty wreck. They offer nitrox, a huge plus, and the owner Tony has a reputation for great service, a wide range of accomodation options and affordable diving.

ReefNet has been developing unique marine technologies for more than 15 years. Their products combine smart engineering with elegant design, solving problems with style. Prizes from Reefnet include their famous Subsee diopter and adapter for supermacro photography.

Dyron specializes in high-quality underwater lenses and accessories for DSLR, compact and video shooters and is sponsoring the Shootout with a 20mm wide angle lens for 67mm port and a +7 diopter 77m macro lens.

Scuba Club Cozumel is the island's first dedicated dive resort built by divers, for divers. Scuba Club Cozumel is located right on the waterfront just a mile south of town. Scuba-Cozumel is the in-house dive op with a fleet of seven dive boats that board from a private pier just footsteps from your comfortable room. All meals are scheduled around the diving. SCC offers NITROX and free unlimited shore diving.

ThinkTank Photo is a leader in creating great products for photographers. They specialize in camera bags, travel bags, belts, covers and more.

Diving Unlimited is known worldwide for making drysuits and undergarments of the highest quality - proudly made in San Diego, California.

Ultralight is the leading maker of arms, trays and clamps for the underwater photography community - making only high quality products built to last.

Contest Coverage

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Anilao Shootout Winners - Part II

Scott Gietler

Winners in dSLR and compact from the second leg of our incredible 2012 underwater photo workshop in Anilao, Philippines

Anilao Shootout Winners - Part II

Winners in dSLR & compact from the second leg of our incredible 2012 underwater photo workshop in Anilao, Philippines

By Scott Gietler

Another underwater photo trip has come and gone, but at least we can be reminded of our experiences by our amazing shots. Anilao, Philippines is nothing if not home to some of the most unique and exceptional underwater creatures in the world, and we were able to find a wealth of them just begging to be photographed.

Below are the winners and honorable mentions from the second half of the Bluewater Photo & Video / UWPG Anilao 2012 workshop. These are some of the shots that particularly got our attention and can be applauded for exceptional technical skill and a great job of capturing the moment. Although we couldn't fit every amazing shot in this article, everyone on the trip was able to achieve photos to be proud of.

A big "thank you" to our dive masters for always pointing us in the right direction, to the wonderful Crystal Blue Resort for accommodating us, and to my fellow underwater photo pros Mike Bartick and Matthew Meier for their assistance and the effort put into their daily presentations. And of course, thank you to everyone who joined us and made the trip such a spectacular success.

Be sure to sign up now for our Third Annual Anilao Photo Workshop, taking place in May of 2013! Many guests said that it was the best dive trip that they have ever been on.

Read guest testimonials from the Bluewater Photo & Video / UWPG Anilao Trip 2012

See winning photos from Part I of the Anilao 2012 workshop

dSLR - Macro Winners

First Place, Porcelain Crab taken by Caroline Bateman

Second Place, Clownfish eggs taken by Eduardo Nadal

Third Place, Goby on soft coral taken by Becky Briggs

Honorable Mention, Frogfish taken by Erik Stein

Honorable Mention, Imperial shrimp on sea cucumber taken by Lynn Allen

dSLR - Wide-Angle Winners

First Place, taken by Rene Umberger

Second Place, taken by Eduardo Nadal

Third Place, taken by Caroline Bateman

Honorable Mention, taken by Becky Briggs

Honorable Mention, taken by Victoria Martocci

dSLR - Behavior

First Place, Jawfish spitting rocks out of its hole taken by Bruce Shafer

Second Place, Octopus taken by Alex Sher

Third Place, Porcelain crab feeding taken by Lynn Allen

Honorable Mention, Scorpionfish taken by Dianne Morris

Honorable Mention, Wonderpus taken by Rene Umberger

dSLR - Portrait Winners

First Place, Blue-ring Octopus taken by Bruce Shafer

Second Place, Blenny taken by Caroline Bateman

Third Place, Frogfish & diver taken by Erik Stein

Honorable Mention, Pygmy seahorse taken by Caroline Bateman

Honorable Mention, taken by Victoria Martocci

Compact - Macro Winners

First Place, Soft coral crab taken by Warren Blum

Second Place, taken by Pietro Biondo

Third Place, taken by George Jolokai

Compact - Wide-Angle Winners

First Place, taken by PT Hirschfield

Second Place, taken by Pietro Biondo

Third Place, taken by Warren Blum

Compact - Behavior Winners

First Place, taken by Pietro Biondo

Second Place, taken by PT Hirschfield

Third Place, taken by George Jolokai

Compact - Portrait Winners

First Place, taken by PT Hirschfield

Second Place, taken by George Jolokai

Third Place, taken by Pietro Biondo

Support the Underwater Photography Guide

Please support the Underwater Photography Guide by purchasing your underwater photography gear through our sister site, Bluewater Photo & Video. Click, or call them at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

Contest Coverage

3 comments

Anilao Shootout Winners - Part I

Scott Gietler

The best photos taken on the first leg of our 2012 workshop to Anilao, Philippines, in dSLR and compact.

Anilao Shootout Winners - Part I

The best photos taken on the first leg of our 2012 workshop to Anilao, Philippines, in dSLR and compact.

By Scott Gietler

The second annual UWPG / Bluewater Photo Anilao 2012 Photo Workshop took place in two parts, one trip after another, at the Crystal Blue Resort in The Philippines. We dove four times a day in the incredible warm waters, searching for unique critters, and we were not disappointed. Rare and beautiful macro subjects lurked around every corner, and needless to say we got some great shots.

Photo pro and trip organizer Scott Gietler and trip co-leaders Mike Bartick and Matthew Meier gave daily presentations on underwater photography technique, marine life and post-processing.

Take a look at the best photos from our first trip! Here we have the winners for both dSLR and compact; macro, wide-angle, behavior and portrait.

To read a few stories from the workshop, check out our trip testimonials. Also, be sure to sign up now for our Third Annual Anilao Photo Workshop, taking place in May of 2013!

You can now see Part II of our Anilao shootout with more winning photos, here!

Critter Sightings

The question is not what we saw, it is what didn't we see? We were met with blue-rings, mimic & wonderpus octopus, multiple Rhinopias, multiple hairy frogfish, dozens of non-hairy frogfish, dozens of seahorses, pygmy seahorses and ghost pipefish, mandarin fish, pregnant seahorses giving birth, mating flamboyant cuttlefish, bobbit worms, more than 1 mantis shrimp with eggs, a hundred species of nudibranchs, and endless varieties of shrimps & crabs.

DSLR: Macro Winners

First Place, Colmani shrimp, taken by Suzan Meldonian

Second Place, taken by Nayan Savla

Third Place, Starfish, taken by Sydney Hoerler

Fourth Place, taken by Peter Cave

DSLR: Wide-Angle Winners

First Place, taken by Peter Cave

Second Place, taken by Kathy Cave

Third Place, taken by Chris Nursey

Fourth Place, taken by Lani Timbrell

DSLR: Behavior Winners

First Place, taken by Debby Wright

Second Place, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, taken by Bruce Shafer

Third Place, Mimic Octopus, taken by Peter Cave

Fourth Place, taken by Eric Leibscher

DSLR: Portrait Winners

First Place, Ribbon Eel, taken by Charles Wright

Second Place, Frogfish, taken by Charles Wright

Third Place, Phyllodesmium nudibranch, taken by Bruce Shafer

Fourth Place, taken by Lani Timbrell

Compact: Macro Winners

First Place, Mushroom coral pipefish, taken by David Thompson

Second Place, taken by Caetllonn Seadjwyc

Third Place, taken by Ken Rosen

Compact: Wide-Angle Winners

First Place, taken by Michael Strole

Second Place, taken by David Thompson

Third Place, taken by Michael Strole

Compact: Behavior Winners

First Place, fighting Octopus, taken by Michael Strole

Second Place, Mantis shrimp with eggs, taken by David Thompson

Third Place, Chuck Dreyfus

Compact: Portrait Winners

First Place, taken by Chuck Dreyfus

Second Place, taken by David Thompson

Third Place, taken by Caetllonn Seadjwyc

Photos taken by Scott Gietler

Even though Anilao is famous for macro, it also has some great wide-angle opportunities. I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite wide-angle shots with everyone, taken with my new Sea & Sea YS-D1 strobes. - Scott

Lionfish and sunball. F22, 1/250th, ISO 100

Trumpfish on a wreck

Beautiful reef at Beatrice, with lots of Anthias

Support the Underwater Photography Guide

Please support the Underwater Photography Guide by purchasing your underwater photography gear through our sister site, Bluewater Photo & Video. Click, or call them at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

Contest Coverage

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Winners Announced for 2011 Ocean Art Contest

Michael Zeigler

Congratulations to all the winners of the Second Annual Ocean Art Photo Competition!

Winners Announced for the 2011 Ocean Art Photo Contest

Congratulations to all the amazing underwater photographers!

By Michael Zeigler

Underwater Photography Guide is proud to announce the winners for the Second Annual Ocean Art Photo Competition. This year's Ocean Art Photo Competition represents entrants from over fifty countries!

Tobias Friedrich, Best of Show

"Manta Madness"

Judging was quite difficult due to the high quality of images. World famous underwater photographer and contest judge Martin Edge commented, "This year the judging was very tight due to so many superb images. After much discussion, agreements, and disagreements, we felt the winners really stood out. For myself, the best in show was the most awesome shot in the entire collection."

Thousands of entries were viewed by the judges before the final set of amazing images were selected, and deemed some of the best underwater photos in the world.

Winning photos can be seen here:

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/ocean-art-contest-winners-2011

Support the Underwater Photography Guide

Please support the Underwater Photography Guide by purchasing your underwater photography gear through our sister site, Bluewater Photo & Video. Click, or call them at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

Contest Coverage

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Anilao Shootout Winners 2011

Scott Gietler

Winning photos from the May UWPG Anilao shootout competition.

UWPG Anilao Workshop Participant Photos

Anilao workshop participants share their winning underwater photography from the trip

By Scott Gietler

The 2011 Anilao workshop was a blast. Twenty-five divers boarded six boats each day for some of the best macro and critter diving in the world, in search of Rhinopias, seahorses, ghost pipefish, frogfish and much more. No one was disappointed! Here's an online review that one of the participants wrote about the workshop.

Most people shot macro on just about every one of the 35 dives, but there were a few wide-angle photos taken. It's not that there weren't great underwater wide-angle ops, it is just that no one wanted to miss out on a great critter sightings!

The workshop was May 20th through 30th. Crystal Blue Resort did a great job feeding us, filling our tanks with nitrox, and making sure everything ran smoothly, even when we had to launch from an alternate location one day due to bad weather.

Critter sightings including everything imaginable - rhinopia, seahorses, pipefish, frogfish galore, bobbit worms, mimic & wonderpus octopus, stargazers, mantis shrimp with eggs, colmani shrimp, clingfish, bumblebee shrimp, harlequin shrimp, sawblade shrimp, soft coral crabs, flamboyant cuttlefish, many clownfish eggs, ambon scorpionfish, mushroom coral pipefish, squid, cuttlefish, sea snakes, leaf scorpionfish, cuckatoo waspfish, dragonets, mandarin fish, and so much more!

Many thanks to all the participants, the dive guides, Mike Bartick who helped me run the trip, and resort owner Emma Bodota who personally flew over from the USA to make sure everything ran smoothly at the resort.

anilao jukong boats for the underwater photography workshop

Nice view from the resort. These are the jukong boats used to get to the dive sites, usually about 15 minutes away. Photo by David Yang.