The prestigious Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide, has announced the results of the worldโs largest underwater photo contest.
Although the AI revolution has quickly changed the global photographic landscape, this yearโs winners are a testament to humanityโs creative perseverance over machine. With new rules against the use of generative AI imagery in the primary categories, these photos are 100% real.
This yearโs best in show image features a rare and fascinating portrait of a crab-eating macaque resolutely swimming through the ocean, captured by Suliman Alatiqi. The photo is a result of weeks of planning and documentation, and it represents the zeal and commitment needed to capture the worldโs best underwater image.
Winning photos can be seen at the Underwater Photography Guide here.ย
This yearโs competition separated the old Underwater Art categories into Underwater Digital Art and Underwater Fashion. As with the old Underwater Art category, the team removed editing rules for these to categories and allowed imaginations to fly.
Other extraordinary winners included never before seen behaviours, extra-terrestrial blackwater scenes, images that brought hope and solutions for ocean conservation, ingenious lighting techniques, and stunning animal portraits.
A total of 14 different categories ensure a competitive contest for all levels and disciplines of underwater photography. The judges evaluated thousands of entries from over 90 countries before selecting the final set of images as Ocean Art winners.ย
Ocean Art 2023 judges included prestigious underwater photographers Tony Wu, Mark Strickland, and Marty Snyderman.ย
As we embark on another exciting chapter, Ocean Art 2023 stands as a celebration of ever-evolving photographic artistry alongside technological innovation. The competition was overseen by Nirupam Nigam, Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide and a partner in Bluewater Photo and Bluewater Travel. Nirupam commented, โAs you can see from the judgesโ comments, this yearโs competition emphasized the decision-making process for selecting the best underwater photos of 2023 โ prompting reflection on the nature of a photo, AI, and AI tools. The winners epitomize pure photography.โ
Best in Showย
โAquatic Primateโ by Suliman Alatiqiย
Wide Angleย
1st Place: Suliman Alatiqiย
2nd Place: Ines Goovaertsย
3rd Place: Bryant Turffsย
4th Place: Giancarlo Mazareseย
Honourable Mention: Fabien Michenetย
Honourable Mention: Ipah Uid Lynnย
Macroย
1st Place: Alberto Casatiย
2nd Place: Byron Conroyย
3rd Place: Dennis Corpuzย
4th Place: Lilian Kohย
5th Place: Guillermo Viverosย
Honourable Mention: Greg Shermanย
Honourable Mention: Keith Mashย
Marine Life Behaviourย
1st Place: Kenji Satoย
2nd Place: Josh Raiaย
3rd Place: Kat Zhouย
4th Place: Johan Sundelinย
Honourable Mention: Brandi Romanoย
Honourable Mention: Todd Akiย
Portraitย
1st Place: Suliman Alatiqiย
2nd Place: Alessandro Rahoย
3rd Place: Jules Caseyย
4th Place: Gabriel Jensenย
Honourable Mention: Celia Kujalaย
Honourable Mention: Kat Zhouย
Coldwaterย
1st Place: Alessandro Giannacciniย
2nd Place: Celia Kujalaย
3rd Place: Johan Sundelinย
4th Place: Ferenc Lorinczย
Honourable Mention: Josh Raiaย
Honourable Mention: Mayumi Takeuchi-Ebbinsย
Nudibranchย
1st Place: Peter Poganyย
2nd Place: Yen-po Huangย
3rd Place: Jenny Stockย
Honourable Mention: Cรฉdric Pรฉneauย
Blackwaterย
1st Place: Keigo Kawamuraย
2nd Place: Peter Poganyย
3rd Place: Jialing Caiย
4th Place: Chris Gugย
Honourable Mention: Kat Zhouย
Honourable Mention: Steven Kovacsย
Underwater Conservationย
1st Place: Victor Huertasย
2nd Place: Yinan Liuย
3rd Place: Andrea Micheluttiย
Honourable Mention: Dan Meleย
Underwater Digital Artย
1st Place: Justin Lutskyย
2nd Place: Francisco Sedano Veraย
3rd Place: Conor Culverย
Honourable Mention: Anna Aitaย
Black & Whiteย
1st Place: Joergen Rasmussenย
2nd Place: Jon Andersonย
3rd Place: Serge Melesanย
4th Place: Enrico Pompeiย
Honourable Mention: Serge Melesanย
Underwater Fashionย
1st Place: Lucie Drlikovaย
2nd Place: Anna Aitaย
3rd Place: Julian Nedevย
4th Place: Lucie Drlikovaย
Honourable Mention: Vanessa Torres Machoย
Honourable Mention: Lucie Drlikovaย
Compact Wide Angleย
1st Place: Bryat Turffsย
2nd Place: Enrico Somogyiย
3rd Place: Andrea Micheluttiย
Compact Macroย
1st Place: Imogen Maninsย
2nd Place: Marcus Commodoreย
3rd Place: Regie Casiaย
Honourable Mention: Miguel Ramirezย
Compact Behaviourย
1st Place: Derek Singerย
2nd Place: Brandon Hannanย
3rd Place: Andrea Micheluttiย
Honourable Mention: Keri Frankensteinย
Honourable Mention: Andrea Micheluttiย
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