ENTER 2023
STEP 01
2023 entry window closed
Thank you for your interest in entering the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023! The entry period closed on June 30, 2023 at 23:59 GMT. If you have any questions regarding your submission - or if you had any issues with your uploads as the window closed - please email us at submissions@ocean.photo. Finalists and winners will be announced in August and September 2023 respectively. Good luck!
Step 1
Choose your categories
Select your categories by clicking ENTER. Submission to each category costs £10, 100% of which is
donated to our charity partner SeaLegacy to aid their ocean conservation work.
Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope)

Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope)
Awarded to the photographer who most powerfully communicates stories of hope and recovery. This could focus on a particular species, a wider ecosystem or human endeavour in finding solutions to the problems we face. What does ocean conservation hope mean to you? And how have you effectively captured that through imagery?
Category photograph by Female Fifty Fathoms 2021 winner, Renee Capozzola
Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact)

Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact)
Awarded to the photographer who most powerfully communicates any of the many perils facing the ocean today. This could focus on the plight of a particular animal, species or wider ecosystem. What does ocean conservation impact mean to you? And how have you effectively captured that through imagery?
Category image by Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year 2022, Simon Lorenz.
Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year

Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year
Awarded to the photographer who most successfully translates our species’ love and fascination of life in, on and around the ocean. The ocean is full of adventure, whether you’re sailing across vast expanses of it, surfing in tight barrels on remote reefs or diving on pristine drop-offs. What does ocean adventure mean to you? And how have you effectively captured that through imagery?
Category photograph by Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year, Ben Thouard
Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Awarded to the photographer who most successfully translates the story and beauty of a particular animal, species or ecosystem. Submissions should be full of colour and wonder, bringing the magic of life below the waterline to life.
Category image by Ocean Photographer of the Year 2020 finalist, Hannes Klostermann.
Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year

Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year
Awarded to the photographer who creates imagery of particular aesthetic power. Beautiful, imaginative, creative, elegant. Colour and black and white submissions are both encouraged.
Photograph by 2021 finalist, Scott Portelli
The Ocean Portfolio Award

The Ocean Portfolio Award
Awarded to the photographer who most convincingly showcases a long-held commitment to ocean conservation through a striking body of work – strong enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the judges. A total of ten images must be submitted, taken at any time during the photographer’s working life. Award-winning images can be submitted.
Photograph by 2021 Ocean Portfolio Award winner, Stefan Christmann
Young Ocean Photographer of the Year

Young Ocean Photographer of the Year
Open to all photographers 25 years of age or under on June 30, 2022, this award will be given to a young photographer who shows photographic ability beyond their years as well as clear ocean literacy – an understanding of what their subject matter is, why their photograph is important and the message the images is trying to convey.
Photograph by 2021 Young Ocean Photographer of the Year, Hannah Le Leu.
The Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean

The Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean
The Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean is a celebration of our species being a part of nature, not apart from nature.
Submissions should highlight an individual's connection with the ocean (photographer or subject), whether that be an image of a marine biologist hard at work in the field, an image of an Indigenous person fighting for the protection of their ancestral coastline or any other instance of a person connecting with our blue planet.
We can't wait to see your images of beautiful ocean connection!
Category photograph by 2022's Human Connection Award winner, Steve Woods.
The Female Fifty Fathoms Award

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