The dive and underwater photography world has changed dramatically in the 21 years since we debuted Scuba Diving magazine’s annual photo contest—from the places we travel to the tools we use to explore. But there are two things that always stay the same: that awe-inspiring feeling we get whenever we dip below the surface and the insatiable urge to share what we see with others. So it’s no surprise that we again received thousands of image submissions (4,499 this year, to be exact) from talented photographers all over the globe. What continues to surprise us year after year is the simple beauty captured so impeccably.

• Grand Prize
• Amateur
• Cold-Water
• Wide-Angle
• Split-Shot
• Macro
• Sponsors

Grand Prize — James Lowe

Behind the Shot This image was taken in about 3 meters of water on a bright sunny day with very good visibility for Cape Town’s standard. I had been leading a snorkel experience with guests when I saw this shot. As soon as I dropped them off, I headed back out and spent some time composing the image. It worked in my favor because the sun was a little lower by that point and the tide a bit higher, which allowed more sun to break through the kelp canopy and light up the reef. When the conditions are perfect, the light refracting though the kelp makes beautiful iridescent rays, which made certain parts of the reef pop. My goal is highlighting how beautiful this ecosystem is in the hopes that more people will appreciate and want to protect it.

Camera Gear Canon 5D Mark IV; 15mm fisheye lens; Aquatica housing with 8-inch glass dome

Settings f/7.1; 1/250; ISO 1000

Prize Komodo Aggressor and $1,000 cash

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Amateur

Amateur First Place — Kelvin Leung

Behind the Shot Here, within a huge, intricate, maze-like brain coral, a few curious blennies were found thriving at 65 feet deep in Anilao. The coral’s narrow crevices make a perfect hideout for the blennies from their predators. Good diving skills and patience were necessary. I carefully adjusted my lights, ensuring I didn’t startle this cooperative little one. A slow shutter created this dreamy background.

Camera Gear OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro lens; AOI housing; Backscatter Mini Flash and Optical Snoot; X-Adventurer M2500

Settings f/6.3; 1/10; ISO 200

Prize All Star Scuba Scene Red Sea

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Amateur Second Place — Yubzukamoto Ayub Mooduto

Behind the Shot Among the photos I’ve captured at the Botubarani Whale Shark Tourism Area in Gorontalo, Indonesia, this one stands out as my favorite. I captured this moment while assisting visitors on a dive session. I spotted a scene where a diver came face to face with the world’s largest fish species: the whale shark. While they are known to sometimes approach divers, it’s crucial to always follow responsible guidelines.

Camera Gear Sony RX-100 V; Isotta housing; AOI Q1 strobe; AOI UWL-400A wide lens

Settings f/8.1; 1/200; ISO 200

Related Reading: Close Encounter With a Whale Shark

Prize Blackbeard’s Cruise or $1,000 credit to Cat Ppalu

Cold-Water

Cold-Water First Place — Jules Casey

Behind the Shot Each winter, tens of thousands of giant spider crabs gather in Port Phillip Bay, creating a spectacular natural event. These crabs migrate into the shallow waters to molt their hard shells. They are vulnerable during this process, so they cluster together in massive, moving piles for protection from predators. This aggregation occurs during the colder months of May to July. It’s a rare and mesmerizing sight, an underwater phenomenon that showcases the survival strategies of the giant spider crabs. This shot is of a freshly molted crab sitting on top of thousands of others awaiting their time to molt.

Camera Gear Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II with 8mm fisheye lens in an Isotta housing; Kraken Sports torch

Settings f/10; 1/640; ISO 6400

Prize Turks and Caicos Aggressor II

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Cold-Water Second Place — Vanessa Mignon

Behind the Shot During winter, Port Jackson sharks congregate in Jervis Bay to breed. I tried several times to photograph one on top of the kelp; however, the weather is often bad that time of year. Eventually I got a sunny day with little swell. I saw several sharks, but they were resting on the sand or under rocks. The water is cold that time of year, usually around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and after 45 minutes I started shivering. But I persisted. Eventually this shark swam slowly on top of the kelp and I got the picture I was hoping for. They are placid sharks, and if you approach them slowly you can get close, so I used a fisheye to photograph them.

Camera Gear Canon 5D Mark IV with Canon 8–15mm lens in a Nauticam housing

Settings f/4; 1/200; ISO 200

Prize Scubapro MK17 EVO 2/S620Ti regulator system

Cold-Water Third Place — Antonio Hou

Behind the Shot Nudi Bay at God’s Pocket Marine Provincial Park is renowned for the aggregation of hooded nudibranchs in its shallow, calm waters. I was fortunate to visit the site in early October 2024, when the visibility was excellent. While swimming through the area, I came across a piece of kelp covered with numerous individuals. At the bottom, three nudibranchs were clustered closely together—perfect subjects for a close-focus, wide-angle shot. This dive became truly unforgettable when, just five minutes after taking this photo, I encountered a juvenile mola mola—a rare visitor to the area.

Camera Gear Sony A6100; 10–17mm Tokina fisheye lens; SeaFrogs housing; two Inon strobes

Settings f/16; 1/125; ISO 250

Related Reading: How to Photograph Nudibranchs

Prize SeaLife SportDiver S Smartphone Housing

Wide-Angle

Wide-Angle First Place — Shaker Mohamed

Behind the Shot This shot was taken in the Maldives at a dive site called Fish Tank, a unique reef beside a fish factory that attracts an array of marine life. As I was surrounded by a school of bannerfish, a massive Napoleon wrasse emerged from the blue and swam straight through the crowd. I waited for the perfect moment, wanting to frame the scene to capture the wrasse’s bold patterns against the chaotic beauty of the schooling fish. The dive site’s unique conditions may not sound idyllic, but they create one of the most vibrant underwater spectacles I’ve ever witnessed and created the perfect opportunity for this shot.

Camera Gear Canon R7; Canon 8–15mm USM F4 fisheye lens; Nimar underwater camera housing and 8-inch dome port; Sea\&Sea YS-D3 Mark II strobe

Settings f/4; 1/250; ISO 200

Prize Bahamas Aggressor II

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Wide-Angle Second Place — Lisa Stengel

Behind the Shot While on an expedition to photograph marlin, we were surprised to find thousands of mahi mahi still feeding in the waters of Baja, a result of unusually warm water temperatures. Sardine baitballs have an intense amount of high-speed energy, providing opportunities to capture wildlife in action. Because the baitball is dynamic, I had to intensify my awareness of the surroundings. With some persistence, luck and a window of opportunity, I was able to freeze the moment of ambush.

Camera Gear Sony a7 III with FE 16–35mm lens in a Nauticam housing 

Settings f/6.3; 1/3200; ISO 1000

Prize Scubapro MK17 EVO 2/ S620Ti regulator system

Wide-Angle Third Place — Richard Condlyffe

Behind the Shot Our group slid quietly into the water some distance from a mother and calf humpback whale. They were relaxed near the surface. I floated on the water, observing. Baby stayed obediently by mom’s side. Then it was as if mom gave baby permission to go play. The curious calf swam toward me, turning as it approached to make eye contact. I pressed the shutter. After a few more passes, playtime was over and the calf swam back to mom’s side!

Camera Gear Sony a1 with Sony FE 28–70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens in a Nauticam housing; Nauticam WACP-C

Settings f/7.1; 1/250; ISO 200

Prize SeaLife SportDiver S Smartphone Housing

Split-Shot

Split-Shot First Place — Mark Hatter

Behind the Shot I was on a 10-day exploratory dive trip to the Marshall Islands a few years ago that eight close photography friends and I pulled together. Before venturing to the outer atolls, our checkout dive was on the captured World War II German ship, the Prinz Eugen, which was towed to Bikini Atoll after the war to see the effects of nuclear testing on its hull. Ironically, like the famous Russian mystic Rasputin, the ship refused to die. It was towed to Kwajalein, where it eventually sunk, belly up, in the shallow lagoon, making for great split images.

Camera Gear Nikon D800 with Nikon 8–15mm fisheye lens; Subal housing; Zen 9-inch dome port; twin Inon Z-240 strobes

Settings f/22; 1/160; ISO 400

Prize Cayman Aggressor IV

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Split-Shot Second Place — Jake Wilton

Behind the Shot In a secluded forest pool at the base of a waterfall, a group of New Zealand fur seal pups interacted with my camera dome, their playful energy filling the freshwater sanctuary. Sitting quietly at the pool’s edge, I waited patiently as they frolicked nearby. Eventually, their curiosity got the better of them. Hidden along New Zealand’s rugged coast, this nursery offers safety while the mothers hunt at sea—and a glimpse into the playful innocence of young seals in one of nature’s most magical hideaways.

Camera Gear Nikon Z8 camera with Nikkor 8–15mm fisheye lens; Aquatica Digital underwater housing; soft focus light

Settings f/16; 1/125; ISO 2500

Related Reading: Trending Dive Spots: South Georgia Island

Prize Scubapro MK17 EVO 2/ S620Ti regulator system

Split-Shot Third Place — Remuna Beca

Behind the Shot A nurse shark peeks above water to get a different view. These docile sharks are slow-moving and often found resting peacefully in the sand surrounding a small key near Bimini. While I was freediving near the seagrass in deeper water, this beautiful and curious nurse shark swam in close to investigate my presence and seemed very interested in my dome and admiring her reflection. The calm conditions were ideal for a split-shot, and as she swam by, I was able to capture this precise moment of eye contact while she was peeking above the water line.

Camera Gear Nikon D850; Nikkor 16–35mm lens; Nauticam housing; Zen DP-230 dome; Inon Z-330 strobes

Settings f/16; 1/250; ISO 250

Prize SeaLife SportDiver S Smartphone Housing

Macro

Macro First Place — Fabi Fregonesi

Behind the Shot This photo captures a Banggai cardinalfish with its tiny offspring nestled safely inside its mouth. This species is known for its unique mouth-brooding behavior, where the male takes on the responsibility of protecting and nurturing the fertilized eggs and, later, the newly hatched fry. During this period, the male refrains from eating, fully committed to safeguarding his young until they are strong enough to swim independently.

Camera Gear Canon 5D Mark IV with a 100mm lens; Nauticam housing; two Inon Z-330 strobes

Settings f/14; 1/250; ISO 100

Prize Belize Aggressor III

Click here to learn more about the photographer behind this image.

Macro Second Place — Jose Alejandro Alvarez

Behind the Shot Blennies are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. What they lack in size, they make up for in character. This is a tailspot coral blenny, one of the most photogenic creatures I’ve encountered, with its funny face and cool-looking eyes. I found it inside a little hole in a coral in a perfect position for a portrait. It let me get so close that I was able to use the whole magnification capability of my lenses.

Camera Gear Nikon D500 with a Nikon 105mm macro lens and Nauticam SMC1 2.3x wet lens; Aquatica housing; Inon Z-330 strobes

Settings f/22; 1/250; ISO 200

Prize Scubapro MK17 EVO 2/ S620Ti regulator system

Macro Third Place — Luc Rooman

Behind the Shot This fish had a permanent home on a training platform in Grevelingen, the Netherlands, which gave rise to the idea of photographing the fish with backlighting and highlighting only the eye with a snoot. After several weeks of trying, I finally managed to achieve the desired result.

Camera Gear Nikon Z 7II; 60mm macro lens; Isotta housing; dual Backscatter Mini Flashes with snoot

Settings f/16; 1/125; ISO 100

Prize SeaLife SportDiver S Smartphone Housing

Sponsors

Our Sponsors

Meet the brands behind this year’s incredible photo contest prizes

By Brooke Morton

Aggressor Adventures

Grand Prize and First-Place Prizes: Liveaboard Vacations

Every sailing aboard an Aggressor liveaboard yacht offers underwater photographers as many as 27 dives in a week. That’s 20 to 30 hours to practice capturing images of everything from the manta rays of Komodo, Indonesia, to the reef sharks of the Bahamas.

To help shooters, three adventure weeks in 2026 and four in 2027 are dedicated to the Mike and Mike Photography School. Led by seasoned experts Mike Haber and Mike Mesgleski, these weeklong trips include one-on-one mentoring to help each guest, whether they’re a newbie or longtime shooter. The weeks also include group sessions that break down various components of a perfect shot, including metering, camera settings, lighting, composition, equipment selection and digital postproduction.

In 2026, the photography weeks will be aboard Bahamas Aggressor at Tiger Beach in May, Roatan Aggressor in late July and Cayman Aggressor IV in late August. In 2027, the Tiger Beach itinerary aboard Bahamas Aggressor will be offered again, as will the Cayman itinerary in late July. The Mike and Mike Photography School will also join Belize Aggressor III in late June and Bahamas Aggressor again in August.

“Those are the destinations with the most dives, giving you the most underwater time,” says Wayne Brown, president of Aggressor.

Each of these sailings plans for 27 dives. “Whether you’re experienced or in a class, you’ll get more proficient the quickest,” he says.

While the photography school packs the most skill-building into a week, every adventure gives guests the chance to improve their shooting. On every Aggressor yacht staff is a photo pro ready to share shooting tips and help with camera and strobe setups. Every Aggressor adventure brings countless opportunities to see reefs teeming with life and color—and for guests to record it all.

Click here to learn more about Aggressor Adventures.

Scubapro

Second-Place Prizes: Scubapro Regulators

For more than 60 years, Scubapro has been creating some of the most reliable, durable dive equipment on the market It’s a brand created by divers, for divers—and for underwater photographers, this brand delivers in any environment.

For underwater photographers, the most important piece of gear is the camera and the housing, but second to that just might be one’s regulator. Shooters need gear they don’t have to think or worry about, that means a regulator that performs like a workhorse.

The MK17 EVO 2/S620 Ti is exactly the regulator system a well-heeled underwater shooter needs as they know that they can count on it to work in any conditions.

The MK17 EVO 2 is environmentally sealed, so it won’t freeze in extreme cold. The sealed design also prevents sand, silt and other grit from entering, making it more reliable—and giving photographers that extra peace of mind.

The MK17 EVO 2 has been redesigned to improve upon the original—this version is smaller and lighter, ideal for shooters who fly often and don’t want to worry about additional baggage fees.

The S620 Ti second stage relies on titanium construction to be lightweight, and to resist corrosion against repetitive ocean use.

It’s the perfect system to allow divers to stay confident when diving Antarctica or in the strong currents of the Galapagos, letting them breathe easy knowing they only need to focus on composing and shooting the perfect shot, every time.

Click here to learn more about Scubapro’s products.

Sealife

Third-Place Prizes: Underwater Smartphone Housings

SeaLife is once again meeting the demands of a new crop of underwater shooters: divers who want to bring their phones into the depths to document their adventures.

Its latest smartphone housing, the SportDiver S, is smaller and lighter than its previous casing, the Sport-Diver Ultra. The SportDiver S is compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro Max back through the iPhone X, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and newer models.

Perhaps one of the best advantages of shooting with a smartphone is that users already have familiarity with using this high-powered camera. Better still, the display on a phone is exponentially bigger than the average DSLR screen, which measures about 2.4 inches by 1.6 inches. On their phones, divers can actually see what they’re shooting as they’re taking photos.

Most of all, SeaLife understands that most people’s everyday lives depend on their phones. For that reason, it created the Sport-Diver S with two leak-detection systems: a flashing red light and an onscreen alert. “We use the same valve-and-pressure systems and moisture-detection systems that the $5,000 to $10,000 DSLR housing systems use,” says Sven Harms, vice president of the company. “We take phone housings very seriously and want every customer to feel at ease.”

Click here to learn more about SeaLife’s products.

Related Reading: ScubaLab First Look: Kraken Smartphone Housing and Next Gen App

All Star Liveaboards

Amateur Prizes: Liveaboard Vacations

All Star Liveaboards designs every aspect of its sailings so that photographers have what they need to enjoy the best experience possible.

Take Velocean, the company’s high-speed luxury yacht cruising Indonesia. This vessel was built to provide all the extras photographers need, including ample camera table stations for configuring rigs and two large camera tables on the dive deck for last-minute readying.

“In Indonesia, from one dive to the next, you’re switching from macro to wide-angle, so having as much space as possible is that much more comfortable and convenient,” says Kevin Purdy, president of All Star Liveaboards.

Velocean guides lead groups of four divers max. “If a guide is showing 10 divers a decorator crab or pygmy seahorse, that critter can swim off and you can miss your opportunity—while someone else is getting a shot,” says Purdy.

All Star’s Egypt-based yacht, All Star Scuba Scene, also dives in small groups. This yacht offers itineraries dedicated to regional highlights, from special wreck charters to trips that include Elphinstone Reef, known for oceanic whitetip shark sightings, and Daedalus Reef for year-round viewings of hammerheads.

Scuba Scene offers a two-week itinerary called the Ultimate Red Sea, which includes chances to see the hammerheads at Daedalus, the caves and crevices at St. John’s plateau and the renowned World War II wreck of the Thistlegorm, then concludes at Ras Mohammed National Park in time to witness fish spawning season. “It’s truly an amazing opportunity to see—and shoot—all that the Red Sea has to offer,” says Purdy.

Click here to learn more about All Star Liveaboards.