The winners of the 2016 Ocean Art competition have been announced. The Best of Show image of a Portuguese Man Of War was shot by Matty Smith of NSW Australia. The 6th annual competition was judged by Tony Wu, Martin Edge, Marty Snyderman, and Scott Geitler.

Press Release

Culver City, CA – January 9, 2017 – The prestigious Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide, has announced the 2016 winners. The 6th annual competition attracted a very high caliber of photos from waters around the world and showcases the best underwater photographs of the year.

The Best of Show is an elegant photo of a dangerous Portuguese Man Of War, which contrasts raw dramatic lighting with the delicate nature of the creature, shot by Matty Smith in NSW Australia. Other exceptional images include some out-of-this-world fish and marine life shots, rarely seen animal behavior, innovative shooting techniques, stunning portraits, sharks, ocean adventure, whales and some dramatic moments between humans and marine life. The judges evaluated thousands of entries from over 60 countries before selecting the final set of images as Ocean Art winners.

Ocean Art 2016 judges included prestigious underwater photographers Tony Wu, Martin Edge, and Marty Snyderman, accompanied by Underwater Photography Guide publisher Scott Gietler.

Over $75,000 in prizes will be awarded to 95 underwater photographers, making the Ocean Art prize value among the highest in the world. The most lucrative prizes included an Indonesia liveaboard trip on the S.M.Y. Ondina, a Cocos Island liveaboard trip on the Sea Hunter, a 7 night liveaboard trip on the S/Y Palau Siren, a 7 night Solomon Islands liveaboard trip with Bilikiki Cruises, a 10 night dive package at Lissenung Island Resort in Papua New Guinea, a 5 night dive package for two at Siladen Resort & Spa in Indonesia, a 7 night dive package at Atmosphere Resort & Spa in the Philippines, and a variety of gift certificates from Bluewater Photo. Premium travel prizes are provided by VoliVoli Beach Resort (Fiji), Murex Resorts (Indonesia), Tawali Dive Resort (Papua New Guinea), Villa Markisa (Bali), Atlantis Dive Resort (Philippines), Paradise Taveuni (Fiji), Aiyanar Dive Resort (Philippines), Wananavu Beach Resort (Fiji), Crystal Blue Resort (Philippines), Mike Ball Dive Expeditions (Australia), Alor Divers (Indonesia), El Galleon Beach Resort (Philippines), Aquamarine Diving and the Watergarden Hotel (Indonesia), Maluku Divers (Indonesia), Nautilus Explorer/Belle Amie (Mexico), Eco Divers Lembeh (Indonesia), Scuba Club Cozumel (Mexico), Manta Ray Bay (Micronesia), Scuba Seraya (Indonesia), and premier scuba travel agency Bluewater Travel. Premium gear prizes are provided by Bluewater Photo, SEA&SEA, Kraken Aquatics, I-Torch, Ikelite, ReefNet SubSee, BARE Sports, ThinkTANK Photo, and Ultralight Control Systems.

The Reef Check Foundation, Ocean Art’s non-profit partner, sponsored a $1000 shopping spree at Bluewater Photo for the winner of the new Reefscapes category.

Sixteen different categories ensure a competitive contest for all levels and disciplines of underwater photography, including compact, mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

The quality of image submissions was incredible again this year, making judging very difficult but also proving that these photos are the best in the world. Bluewater Photo and Travel owner and Underwater Photography Guide publisher, Scott Gietler comments, “The winning images in this year’s 6th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition continue to set the standard for the most excellent underwater images in the world. These outstanding images show that innovation, dedication and perseverance are alive and well in the underwater photo community.”

Winning photos can be seen on the Underwater Photography Guide

Complete list of winners:

Best of Show

“Blue Lasso” by Matty Smith

Wide-Angle

1st Place: Matty Smith
2nd Place: Martin Steinmeier
3rd Place: Troy Mayne
4th Place: Tony Cherbas
5th Place: Marco Gargiulo
6th Place: Jung Sook Lamy
HM: Michael Vogelsang
HM: Marie-Elizabeth Mali

Macro

1st Place: Dennis Corpuz
2nd Place: Giacomo Giovannini
3rd Place: Lazaro Ruda
4th Place: Lorenzo Terraneo
5th Place: Irwin Ang
6th: Francesco Pacienza
HM: Shu Shu Ricky

Marine Life Behavior

1st Place: Gino Symus
2nd Place: Eduardo Acevedo
3rd Place: Gianni Colucci
4th Place: Joaquin Gutierrez
5th Place: Greg Lecoeur
HM: Henley Spiers

Portrait

1st Place: Joaquin Gutierrez
2nd Place: Renee Capozzola
3rd Place: Anders Salesjö
4th Place: Francesco Visintin
5th Place: Damien Mauric
6th Place: Damien Mauric
HM: Nicolas & Léna Remy
HM: Jeff Milisen

Coldwater

1st Place: Tobias Dahlin
2nd Place: Ellen Cuylaerts
3rd Place: Yannick Gouguenheim
4th Place: Brook Peterson
5th Place: Gayle Van Leer
###Nudibranchs
1st Place: Rafael Cosme
2nd Place: Albert Sáiz Tezanos
3rd Place: Christian Gloor
4th Place: Dennis Corpuz
5th Place: Ian Chow
HM: Vania Kam

Supermacro

1st Place: Chad Tamis
2nd Place: Kelvin Tan H.Y
3rd Place: Dennis Corpuz
3rd Place: Stefano Scortegagna
5th Place: So Yat Wai
HM: So Yat Wai
HM: George Low

Reefscapes

1st Place: Jeong Sang Keun
2nd Place: Pedro Carrillo
3rd Place: Gino Symus
4th Place: Pier Mane
5th Place: Thomas Heckmann
HM: Marco Fierli

Novice dSLR

1st Place: Catalin Craciun
2nd Place: Markus Hunkel
3rd Place: Ty Oliver
4th Place: Ty Oliver
5th Place: Markus Hunkel
HM: Edoardo Errani

Mirrorless Wide-Angle

1st Place: Eugene Kitsios
2nd Place: Oktay Calisir
3rd Place: Pier Mane
4th Place: Jim Catlin
HM: Rhiana Roque
HM: Pier Mane

Mirrorless Macro

1st Place: Scipione Mannacio Soderini
2nd Place: Lilian Koh
3rd Place: Pier Mane
4th Place: Bert de Wit
HM: Peter McGee
HM: Daniel Geary

Mirrorless Behavior

1st Place: Jenny Stomvoll
2nd Place: Lynn Wu
3rd Place: Denis Timchenko
4th Place: Fabio Galbiati
HM: Maurizio Pasi

Compact Wide-Angle

1st Place: Stephen Holinski
2nd Place: Pietro Cremone
3rd Place: Juan Pablo Plaza
4th Place: Lawrence Alex Wu
HM: Andrea Falcomatà
HM: Ilaria Gonelli

Compact Macro

1st Place: Lawrence Alex Wu
2nd Place: Kenji Cheow
3rd Place: Stefano Cerbai
4th Place: Melody Chuang
HM: Andrew Leighton
HM: Curtis Bale

Compact Marine Life Behavior

1st Place: Lawrence Alex Wu
2nd Place: Stephen Holinski
3rd Place: Abimael Márquez
4th Place: Jack Berthomier
HM: Stefano Cerbai
HM: Chandy de Wit

Pool/Conceptual

1st Place: Christian Miller
2nd Place: Conor Culver
3rd Place: Lucie Drlikova
4th Place: Julian Nedev
HM: Thomas Heckmann
HM: Massimo Giorgetta
HM: Julian Nedev