Winners medal
Winning here (or even just being placed) is Underwater Photography's most coveted accolade because it says you succeeded in the most competitive environment there is, against the top talent of the moment.
Every year a panel of judges select the best images entered in our online photo contest from the previous year. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded for the top three from each category in order of merit.
The judges comprise of industry professionals, previous year's World Champions, our site moderators - anyone we can rope in! They are unpaid, non-affiliated, and (of course) cannot vote for themselves.
You may not agree with the judges. You may think you have 'better shots' at home - prove it! Enter this year's contest.
| World Champion 2012/13 |
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The judges award the photographer who submits the most consistent and complete portfolio over the year World Champion.
Other photographers of distinction are awarded Grand Master.
 The overall 2012/13 World Champion is...
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Over/Under (shots half topside, half U/W)
shots that cross the surface boundary (so under/overs like Snells Window too)
Gold Medal Winner
Over/Under (shots half topside, half U/W)
Lilly Under Palms 2
Location: Guam
Silver Medal Winner
Over/Under (shots half topside, half U/W)
Once in a life time!
Location: South Africa
Bronze Medal Winner
Over/Under (shots half topside, half U/W)
Raja Ampat PARADISE
Nikon d70s and Nikkor 10.5
Location: Indonesia
Runner Ups
Over/Under (shots half topside, half U/W)
Wide Angle - Natural Light (no strobe)
shots taken using ambient light i.e. unlit by flash or continuous lighting like HID but filters on the lens are allowed if declared
Gold Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Natural Light (no strobe)
Ball of silversides...on the roll!
Finally the silversides arrived at Devil's Grotto. Every year awaited by tarpons, jacks, groupers...and divers!
Location: Cayman islands
Silver Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Natural Light (no strobe)
Near Balikasag Island.
Location: Philippines
Bronze Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Natural Light (no strobe)
The Passage in Raja Ampat. A tree growing in shallow water mangrove.
Location: Papua New Guinea
Runner Ups
Wide Angle - Natural Light (no strobe)
Wide Angle - Wrecks
anything man-made that is sunk including cars, tanks, planes etc. - oh and ships!
Gold Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Wrecks
The ladder on the Kittiwake-in natural light
Location: Cayman islands
Silver Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Wrecks
Stern of the Kittiwake - Grand Cayman
Nikon 700, 10-17 fisheye lens, f.22, 1/125, ISO 200, Natural light
Location: Cayman islands
Bronze Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Wrecks
"DIVING EXPLORER"
Egypt , berenice, Abu Gusum Wreck
Location: Egypt
Wide Angle - Divers
Divers doing what divers do - underwater or on the surface
Gold Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Divers
Strong beauty in Mexican cavern
Location: Mexico
Silver Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Divers
Friendly whale shark swims circles around the boat during surface interval. All had a great time swimming with the little guy.
Location: Mexico
Bronze Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Divers
freedive at Bells
Location: Egypt
Runner Ups
Wide Angle - Divers
Wide Angle - Marine Life
wide angle shots with no divers in frame
Gold Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Marine Life
Swirls of fish under the dock
Location: Papua New Guinea
Silver Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Marine Life
This shot is taken at USS Liberty Wreck, Tulamben, Bali. The resident school of jacks is amongst the favourite marine life amongst the tourist divers when diving at this dive site. Shot taken with Nikon D7000, 10.5mm, 1/5, f/11, ISO 200, YS-110a
Location: Indonesia
Bronze Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Marine Life
"The Wall"
Location: Mexico
Wide Angle - Close Focus
shots taken with a WIDE ANGLE (or fisheye) lens having 1) a well defined close subject (usually strobe-lit) AND 2) a wide angle BACKGROUND with a second subject, usually a diver
Gold Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Close Focus
"SAD MOMENTS"
Today I've seen a very long fishing net fixed on the bottom. Representative of so many animals in the net I show you this poor scorpion fish. On this spot is fishing absolutely forbidden. Sorry, even those images must be documented.
Location: Spain
Silver Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Close Focus
Boo Windows, Misool, Indonesia
Location: Indonesia
Bronze Medal Winner
Wide Angle - Close Focus
Manatee at Crystal River being photographed by fans.
Location: United States
Macro - not swimming
Smaller subjects typically 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5cm) shot on macro settings or with macro equipment that are NOT MOVING usually on the bottom (i.e. between 1:1 and 1:3)
Gold Medal Winner
Macro - not swimming
Alicia mirabilis
Location: Italy
Silver Medal Winner
Macro - not swimming
Bronze Medal Winner
Macro - not swimming
Runner Ups
Macro - not swimming
Macro - Nudibranchia
Sea slugs. A subject popular with macro guys! (means naked gills) Flatworms allowed
Gold Medal Winner
Macro - Nudibranchia
CHE BEL RIPARO
Location: Italy
Silver Medal Winner
Macro - Nudibranchia
A gas flame nudibranch or may be two
Location: South Africa
Bronze Medal Winner
Macro - Nudibranchia
All dressed up and no place to go.
Location: Philippines
Runner Ups
Macro - Nudibranchia
Macro - Super macro
Shots taken (at smaller than 1:1) with multiple extension rings, diopters, or teleconverters of extremely small subjects typically less than 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Gold Medal Winner
Macro - Super macro
Alicia mirabilis
Location: Italy
Silver Medal Winner
Macro - Super macro
Arrow Crab...Bonaire, Antilles
Subsee +10 diopter
Location: Netherlands Antilles
Bronze Medal Winner
Macro - Super macro
One more Periclemenes sp. on crinoid (part 2)
Location: Philippines
Runner Ups
Macro - Super macro
Macro - Close-Up
Shots taken of a subject between 3 inches and 1 foot (7.5 to 30cm) in size (e.g. large fish or diver head) that dominates the frame - any background is incidental and occupies LESS THAN 50% of frame
Gold Medal Winner
Macro - Close-Up
Hungry?
Location: Indonesia
Silver Medal Winner
Macro - Close-Up
Double
Nikon D200, 60 micro, twin strobo
Lembeh strait
Location: Indonesia
Bronze Medal Winner
Macro - Close-Up
Green Turtle
Bunaken Island, Sulawesi,Indonesia,
Nikon D 300 S, Micro 60, 1/200 ,f 6,3, iso 200 in Kinetics
Location: Indonesia
Sharks
Shots where sharks are the predominant subject. Sponsored by Stuart Cove's
Gold Medal Winner
Sharks
"Great Apparition"
Location: Mexico
Silver Medal Winner
Sharks
Isla Guadalupe
Location: Mexico
Bronze Medal Winner
Sharks
Ha-chachacha!... Prionace glauca, though this guy is perhaps not old enough to remember who he's impersonating....
Location: United States
Runner Ups
Sharks
Temperate Waters
Seas with green water well north or south of tropical zones typically cold enough for drysuits!
Gold Medal Winner
Temperate Waters
This playful Grey Seal off Lundy Island sneaked up behind me and took me by surprise. As he Clambered over the top of my head, I turned the camera to shoot at myself, capturing an image of the cheeky chap at the same time.
Location: United Kingdom
Silver Medal Winner
Temperate Waters
Inside the Canadian Destroyer HMCS Yukon.
Location: United States
Bronze Medal Winner
Temperate Waters
Sea Lion Silhouette, Just under Rye pier on Mornington peninsula, there are a couple of Australian Fur seal pups who've made their home & show their cheeky side by taking fish and squid from the fishermen! Canon S90 w INON UFL165, 1/400 F2.2 ISO80
Location: Australia
Freshwater
shots taken bodies of water with no salt e.g. in lakes, streams, pools, rivers i.e NOT the Sea!
Gold Medal Winner
Freshwater
Grand Cenote 374
Woman inside Grand Cenote in Tulum, Quintana Roo, receiving the last rays of sun. Inspiring image transmitting the awe that this magnificent natural wonder produce on our souls...it`s crystal clear freshwater!
Location: Mexico
Silver Medal Winner
Freshwater
Snail and Water plants at a mexican Cenote.
Location: Mexico
Bronze Medal Winner
Freshwater
"Core essence"
Location: Mexico
Runner Ups
Freshwater
Creative - Manipulated (Photoshopped)
Shots that have been digitally edited outside of the camera for creative reasons (not brightness/contrast etc.) in a program like PhotoShop
Gold Medal Winner
Creative - Manipulated (Photoshopped)
Take care of the reef
Location: Philippines
Silver Medal Winner
Creative - Manipulated (Photoshopped)
Save our seas!
Edition concerning the campaign "not only diving - save our oceans" - by Andrea Oceandiver
Location: Germany
Bronze Medal Winner
Creative - Manipulated (Photoshopped)
Just lying in the bed of water
Location: Czech Republic
Runner Ups
Creative - Manipulated (Photoshopped)
Topside (above water but marine related)
shots above the surface. Can be on land but with relevance to the marine environment
Gold Medal Winner
Topside (above water but marine related)
The iconic salt mounds on Bonaire during wind reversal/stoppage last October.
Location: Netherlands Antilles
Silver Medal Winner
Topside (above water but marine related)
Male northern elephant seals fighting for dominance at the San Simeon rookery.
Location: United States
Bronze Medal Winner
Topside (above water but marine related)