2024 Ocean Art Contest Winners
2024 Ocean Art Contest Winners
Wide Angle 
Macro Marine Life Behavior Portrait Blackwater Underwater Conservation Underwater Digital Art Black & White Underwater Fashion Compact Wide Angle Compact Macro Compact Behavior List of Winners
The Underwater Photography Guide is excited to announce the world's best underwater photography in this year's 13th annual Ocean Art competition. 2024 featured thousands of entries from over 90 countries around the world! 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.
Ocean Art could not have been possible without the help of our generous sponsors, who contributed over $60,000 in prizes this year! Please take a moment to check out our sponsors below and keep them in mind as you shop for underwater photo gear or dive travel.
This year's competition featured 14 categories including breathtaking images of marine life behavior, stunning portraits, and dramatic black-and-white underwater scenes. The competition also featured two categories without editing restrictions — Underwater Digital Art and Underwater Fashion — encouraging limitless creativity.
The winners were asked to rank the prizes and were awarded one prize based on the total points earned from all their winning photos.
We would also like to thank our world-renowned judges Tony Wu, Mark Stickland, Marty Snyderman, Ipah Uid Lynn, and Bluewater Photo and Bluewater Travel for their utmost support. Click here to view the judges' comments for Ocean Art 2024.
Overall, Ocean Art 2024 was a remarkable event that celebrated the talent and vision of underwater photographers around the globe. Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and a heartfelt thank-you to the organizers, sponsors, and judges for their contributions to the world of underwater photography.
Press Release and Media Contact: http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/ocean-art-2024-press-release
We hope you keep diving, learning and exploring.
Want to win next year? Join one of our underwater photo workshops
Need help finding the right underwater photo gear including from our sponsors, Ikelite, Ultralight, and Marelux? Check out Bluewater Photo!
Best in Show
Dancing White Tips
Place: Best in Show
Name: Eduardo Labat
Location: Roca Partida. Revillagigedo, Mexico
Story of the ShotThank to our Sponsors!
Wide Angle
Blue Sun Rising
Place: 2nd
Name: Julian Gunther
Location: Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina
Story of the Shot
The Mobula Ball
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Eduardo Acevedo
Location: Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico.
Story of the Shot
Swimming Through a Starred Sea
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: McKenzie Spalding
Location: Australia, Exmouth, Ningaloo Reef
Story of the ShotMacro
Patterened Safe Haven
Place: 2nd
Name: Imogen Manins
Location: Rye Pier, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
Story of the Shot
An Underwater Colorful Snowstorm
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Dr. Tom Shlesinger
Location: Eilat, northern Red Sea, Eilat's Coral Beach Nature Reserve.
Story of the Shot
Marine Life Behavior
Born From Mouth
Place: 1st
Name: Yoichi Sato
Location: Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, Japan
Story of the Shot
Fight
Place: 2nd
Name: Reiko Takahashi
Location: Japan, Area Kitakoura, Sado, Nigata dive site - Akaiwa
Story of the Shot
Releasing the Next Generation
Place: 3rd
Name: Kirsty Andrews
Location: Romblon, the Philippines
Story of the Shot
Piggyback
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Ines Goovaerts
Location: Red Sea, Marsa Alam, Egypt
Story of the Shot
Egg-cellent Guardian
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Shuo-Wei Chang
Location: Des Moines, Washington, USA
Story of the ShotPortrait
Blue Face
Place: 2nd
Name: Eduardo Acevedo
Location: Tenerife,Canary Islands,Spain
Story of the Shot
Blue Crab in Cave
Place: 3rd
Name: Martin Broen
Location: Cenote Yax Chen, Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Story of the Shot
Eye Contact
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Földi László
Location: Kimud Shoal - Philippines
Story of the ShotCold Water
Curious Cormorant
Place: 1st
Name: James Emery
Location: Metridium Fields, Monterey, California
Story of the Shot
Marble Cradle
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Massimo Zannini
Location: Italy - Valsora marble quarry (Massa)
Story of the Shot
Where Penguins Fly
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Jill Crosby
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
Story of the ShotNudibranchs
Hydatina
Place: 3rd
Name: David Pleuvret
Location: La jetée, St-Pierre, La Réunion
Story of the Shot
Sheep Nudibranch with Eggs
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Mark Chang
Location: The Asri Dive & Leisure Resort, Anilao, Philippines. Sunview dive site
Story of the Shot
Underwater Flowers
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Giancarlo Mazarese
Location: Philippines, Anilao, Koala Reef
Story of the ShotBlackwater
Gibberfish
Place: 3rd
Name: Yoichi Sato
Location: Off the coast of Kume Island, Okinawa Japan
Story of the Shot
Flying Blanket
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Enrico Somogyi
Location: Anilao, Philippines
Story of the Shot
Alien
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Bo Pardau
Location: 4 miles offshore, west of Honokohau Harbor, Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
Story of the ShotUnderwater Conservation
Drowing in Plastic
Place: 1st
Name: Kimber Greenwood
Location: USA, High Springs, Florida, Jonathan Springs
Story of the Shot
Turtle Conservation
Place: 2nd
Name: Tom Vierus
Location: Dravuni Island, Kadavu Province, Fiji
Story of the Shot
A Slow Death - Almost!
Place: 3rd
Name: Dawn McDonald
Location: The Wreck of F/V Patriot on Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, off the Coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA
Story of the Shot
Ocean Litter
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Olivier Clement
Location: Indonesia, Raja Ampat
Story of the ShotUnderwater Digital Art
Alien - People Swimming in a Cave
Place: 3rd
Name: Lorenzo Terraneo
Location: BLUE CAVE - Marina di Andrano (Lecce) - Italy
Story of the ShotBlack & White
Dancing White Tips
Place: 1st
Name: Eduardo Labat
Location: Roca Partida. Revillagigedo, Mexico
Story of the Shot
Face to Face
Place: 2nd
Name: Sylvie Ayer
Location: Alimatha in Vaavu Atoll, Maldive
Story of the Shot
Saskatchewan wreck
Place: 3rd
Name: Borut Furlan
Location: Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Story of the Shot
Fevered
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Brittany Ilardi
Location: La Ventana Bay, La Ventana, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Story of the Shot
Below the Octopus
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Xaime Beiro
Location: Louro (Galicia) - Spain
Story of the ShotUnderwater Fashion
Long Live the Queen!
Place: 1st
Name: Lucie Drlikova
Location: Swimming pool, 8 metres deep, Aquapalace Praha, Czech Republic, Europe
Story of the Shot
Skyfall
Place: 3rd
Name: Claudia Weber-Gebert
Location: Public pool in Trier - Germany.
Story of the ShotCompact Wide Angle
Hunting in the Night
Place: 1st
Name: Marco Lausdei
Location: Maldives - Fish head dive site
Story of the Shot
Juvenile Pike
Place: 2nd
Name: Enrico Somogyi
Location: Lake Kulkwitz, Leipzig, Germany
Story of the Shot
Love Story in the River
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Jack Berthomier
Location: Ouenghi river in New Caledonia
Story of the Shot
Feeling Freedom
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Nancy Berg
Location: Vava'u Island, The Kingdom of Tonga
Story of the ShotCompact Macro
Longnose Hawkfish
Place: 1st
Name: Naomi Springett
Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Story of the Shot
Feeling Blue
Place: Honorable Mention
Name: Kathrin Landgraf-Kluge
Location: Bangka island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Story of the ShotCompact Behavior
Mutualism
Place: 1st
Name: Naomi Springett
Location: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Story of the Shot
The Golden Yawn
Place: 2nd
Name: Nemer Chua
Location: ANILAO, MABINI, BATANGAS PHILIPPINES
Story of the Shot
Family that Stays Together
Place: 3rd
Name: Wendy Biscette
Location: St. Lucia Dive site: Piton wall
Story of the Shot
Summary of Categories and Winners
-
Overall Winner
-
Best In Show: Eduardo Labat
-
Wide Angle
- 1st: Hwanhee Kim
- 2nd: Julian Gunther
- 3rd: Todd Aki
- 4th: Mehmet A. Gungen
- 5th: Julian Gunther
- Honorable Mention: Eduardo Acevedo
- Honorable Mention: McKenzie Spalding
-
Macro
- 1st: Adam Martin
- 2nd: Imogen Manins
- 3rd: Claudio Zori
- 4th: Jeongin Kim
- Honorable Mention: Dr. Tom Shlesinger
- Honorable Mention: Suliman Alatiqi
-
Marine Life Behavior
- 1st: Yoichi Sato
- 2nd: Reiko Takahashi
- 3rd: Kirsty Andrews
- 4th: Suliman Alatiqi
- 5th: Keigo Kawamura
- Honorable Mention: Ines Goovaerts
- Honorable Mention: Shuo-Wei Chang
-
Portrait
- 1st: Stefano Cerbai
- 2nd: Eduardo Acevedo
- 3rd: Martin Broen
- 4th: Ariel Gliboff
- 5th: Ilaria Mariagiulia Rizzuto
- Honorable Mention: Olivier Clement
- Honorable Mention: Földi László
-
Cold Water
- 1st: James Emery
- 2nd: Kat Zhou
- 3rd: Jeongin Kim
- Honorable Mention: Massimo Zannini
- Honorable Mention: Jill Crosby
-
Nudibranchs
- 1st: Borut Furlan
- 2nd: Jenny Stock
- 3rd: David Pleuvret
- 4th: Ken Keong Chong
- Honorable Mention: Mark Chang
- Honorable Mention: Giancarlo Mazarese
-
Blackwater
- 1st: Kyungshin Kim
- 2nd: Kat Zhou
- 3rd: Yoichi Sato
- 4th: Steven Kovacs
- Honorable Mention: Enrico Somogyi
- Honorable Mention: Bo Pardau
-
Underwater Conservation
- 1st: Kimber Greenwood
- 2nd: Tom Vierus
- 3rd: Dawn McDonald
- Honorable Mention: Olivier Clement
-
Underwater Digital Art
- 1st: Unkoo Kim
- 2nd: Jenny Stock
- 3rd: Lorenzo Terraneo
-
Black & White
- 1st: Eduardo Labat
- 2nd: Sylvie Ayer
- 3rd: Borut Furlan
- Honorable Mention: Brittany Ilardi
- Honorable Mention: Xaime Beiro
-
Underwater Fashion
- 1st: Lucie Drlikova
- 2nd: Anna Aita
- 3rd: Claudia Weber-Gebert
-
Compact Wide Angle
- 1st: Marco Lausdei
- 2nd: Enrico Somogyi
- 3rd: Marco Lausdei
- Honorable Mention: Jack Berthomier
- Honorable Mention: Nancy Berg
-
Compact Macro
- 1st: Naomi Springett
- 2nd: Enrico Somogyi
- 3rd: Jayson Apostol
- Honorable Mention: Kathrin Landgraf-Kluge
-
Compact Behavior
- 1st: Naomi Springett
- 2nd: Nemer Chua
- 3rd: Wendy Biscette
- Honorable Mention: Grzegorz Krysiak
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:
The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear
Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!
The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips
Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.
