Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition 2026

Ocean Art is one of the best-known underwater photography competitions, run by the Underwater Photography Guide in Los Angeles. The 2026 edition, the 15th, offers more than $50,000 in prizes across 15 categories, and photos must be submitted by 23:59 Pacific time on 6 December 2026. Past editions have drawn entries from more than 90 countries, and the 50-plus winning images form a portfolio of the year's best underwater photos.

Ocean Art Categories

The main categories are Wide Angle, Macro and Marine Life Behavior, each with a matching compact camera category so that photographers with smaller cameras compete fairly. Other categories include:

• Black & White
• Marine Life Portrait
• Cold/Temperate Water
• Blackwater
• Underwater Conservation
• Nudibranchs
• Underwater Fashion
• Underwater Digital Art
• Smartphone, returning after four years

Underwater Fashion and Underwater Digital Art allow complete freedom in post-processing.

Prizes

Prizes come from dive resorts, liveaboards and underwater photo gear makers. They include smartphone housings, underwater photo and video gear, liveaboard trips in Indonesia, a dive adventure in Raja Ampat, strobes and gift certificates. Category winners rank the prizes they would like, which makes it more likely that each winner receives something they will use.

Who Can Enter Ocean Art?

Ocean Art is open to underwater photographers worldwide, amateur and professional. The compact and smartphone categories mean you do not need an expensive camera system to compete.

Why Enter Ocean Art?

Ocean Art is well respected in the diving and underwater photography community, and its prizes are unusually practical: dive trips and equipment that help photographers keep improving. Winning images are widely shared, giving exposure to photographers and to the marine life they document.

The Smartphone Category

Smartphone cameras and underwater housings have improved a lot since the category was first introduced in 2022. Its return means divers who shoot with a phone can enter on equal terms. Good light, getting close and a steady hand matter more than the device.

Tips for Underwater Images

Get close to reduce the amount of water between the lens and the subject, and shoot upwards where you can for better contrast. Control backscatter with careful strobe positioning. Behaviour shots reward patience and knowledge of the animals. Above all, never harm or disturb marine life for a photo; judges and the diving community care about ethical practice.

Entry Fees

Ocean Art charges an entry fee per image. Check the current fees on the entry page before submitting, as there are often discounts for entering several images.

Choosing Categories

Read each category description carefully. A nudibranch photographed with a macro lens could go in Macro or Nudibranchs; enter where your image is strongest compared with likely competition.

Editing Underwater Photos

Editing rules differ by category: Underwater Fashion and Underwater Digital Art allow complete freedom in post-processing, while the other categories have stricter limits. Read the editing rules for each category before you enter, and keep your raw files, which may be requested for winning images. Correct colour carefully: water strips reds quickly, and over-corrected blues and greens look unnatural.

Choosing Your Strongest Images

Judges see thousands of fish portraits and reef scenes, so look for images with unusual behaviour, light or composition. A sharp eye, clean background and a moment that tells a story often beat a rare species photographed badly. Ask a fellow diver to help you choose.

Things to Consider

• 15 categories, including compact and smartphone.
• Prizes are mostly dive trips and gear.
• Ethical practice with marine life.
• Deadline: 6 December 2026.

Enter the Competition

Ready to put your underwater photos in front of the jury?

Enter Ocean Art

Categories, prizes and rules are on the Underwater Photography Guide website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 7, 2026