Ocean Photographer of the Year

Prizes worth more than £500,000

Entries close June 30, 2023

Winners announced September, 2023

ENTER NOW

Enter 2023 Previous winners Visit shop

Brought to you by

Main Partner

In support of

Partners

Key dates & big news

17 April

FULL 2023 TIMELINE ANNOUNCED

1 May

OPY2023 open for entries!

Those wanting to make an early impression can enter their work!

30 June

Entry period closes

The last day for entrants to submit their photographs!

1 July

Judging begins!

The judging process starts with the creation of a longlist

14 July

WINNERS CHOSEN

ALL CATEGORY WINNERS AND OVERALL WINNER CHOSEN

14 September

winners announced

The Ocean Photographer of the Year is announced

15 September

London exhibition opens

See all category winners at the Tower Bridge exhibition

About the Awards

The Ocean Photographer of the Year is a celebration of our beautiful blue planet, as well as a platform to highlight the many plights it is facing.

Ocean photographers of all disciplines and experience levels – amateurs and professionals alike – are invited to submit their most impactful imagery to be judged by a panel of some of the world’s leading ocean photographers, including International Photography Hall of Fame inductee Paul Nicklen, founder of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Cristina Mittermeier, and Emmy-nominee and Sony Artisan Andy Mann.

A total of nine categories will be judged, with the overall winner crowned the Ocean Photographer of the Year™ in September this year.

RULES / FAQS PRIZES

Photo by 2022 third place, Brook Peterson

Entry deadline

June 30, 2023

Prizes worth more than

£500,000

Entry fee

£10 per category

Winners announced

September 2023

Meet the Judges

The Ocean Photographer of the Year judging panel is made up of some of the world’s leading ocean photographers. Expedition leaders and award-winners who have played significant roles in the creation of MPAs, the protection of individual species and broader public awareness and ocean literacy campaigns, they know what it takes to create powerful, captivating ocean imagery. Can your imagery connect with them? Discover a little more about our panel below.

Paul Nicklen

SeaLegacy co-founder & Sony Artisan

About Paul

Cristina Mittermeier

SeaLegacy co-founder & Sony Artisan

About Cristina

Andy Mann

SeaLegacy Co-founder & award-winning expedition director

About Andy

Sadie Quarrier

Director of Photography, National Geographic

About Sadie

Award Categories

The Ocean Photographer of the Year consists of just nine categories and the overall winner, the Ocean Photographer of the Year™. The categories are broad in their focus and open to a little personal interpretation. This is to make the Awards as inclusive as possible and to ensure the bravest and boldest photographers out there aren’t dissuaded from entering because their images don’t fit prescriptive categories. Underwater, topside, on the coast or out at sea, if you feel your ocean image has the chance to connect emotionally with the judges, they’d love to see it. The deadline for this year’s submissions is June 30, 2023.

See categories

LONDON EXHIBITION 2023

Iconic Tower Bridge exhibition will be back!

Following the incredible continued success of our free-to-access, open-air exhibition in London – experienced by a million people in each of the last two years – we will once again be showcasing 2023’s incredible winning imagery alongside one of the world’s most iconic and historical ocean-connected landmarks, the beautiful Tower Bridge.

Excitingly, 2023’s exhibition will also run for an additional month.

FIND OUT MORE