Dive Into the Spectacular 2025 Ocean Art Photo Competition Winners
The Underwater Photography Guide has announced the winners of its 14th annual Ocean Art competition which highlights the best of underwater photography across a variety of categories with over $60,000 in prizes up for grabs.
This year’s competition featured 14 categories, all of which can be seen on the competition’s website, and even includes two categories that have no restrictions on editing to allow photographers to really embrace the idea of art, which The Underwater Photography Guide says was meant to encourage “limitless creativity.” As a result, the contest saw thousands of entries submitted from more than 90 countries.
The “Best in Show” award was granted to Steven Kovacs for his image “Tired Fish,” which can be seen above. It was also the Blackwater category winner.
“One of my favorite subjects to encounter on blackwater dives is the goosefish, also known as the monkfish. So when I began seeing photographs of a never-before-seen species of larval goosefish taken off Kume Island, Japan, I knew I had to visit and try to find one,” Kovacs says of the photo.
“Blackwater diving in the very deep waters off Kumejima, Japan, is an exciting new opportunity, and although finding my target fish was a long shot, I booked an extended stay in hopes of getting lucky. After nearly two weeks of nightly searching and nearing the end of my stay, my elusive subject suddenly appeared. Unfortunately, this beautiful little fish turned out to be incredibly uncooperative and difficult to photograph. After spending some time with it, I was very fortunate that, for one brief moment, it decided to yawn while facing the camera. I somehow managed to press the shutter at that exact instant, resulting in this image.”
Below are more winners from a selection of categories.
“These images are the result of obsession, patience, and exploration,” Nirupam Nigam, organizer of the contest and President of Bluewater Photo and Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide, says. “Many of this year’s winners spent weeks—or even years—chasing moments most people will never witness. While all great photography demands dedication, underwater photography requires a uniquely intense combination of patience, persistence, and technical skill.”
The full list of winners, runners up, and honorable mentions can be viewed on Underwater Photography Guide’s competition page.
Image credits: All photos are individually credited and were provided courtesy of The Underwater Photography Guide
