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UnderwaterPhoto Contests
ExpectedHas UW category · Online

Ocean Photographer of the Year (formerly Ocean Photography Awards)

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2027 · by Oceanographic Magazine (opens in a new tab)

Expected deadline

late Jun 2027

Estimated from the previous edition

  • Closes ≈ LATE JUN 2027
  • UW cat. 8 of 8
Add to calendar Official site (opens in a new tab)

Oceanographic magazine's annual ocean photography contest, launched in 2020 as the Ocean Photography Awards, covering underwater and above-water ocean images across wildlife, conservation, adventure and fine-art categories.

Key dates

These dates are estimated from the previous edition — the organiser hasn't announced them yet. We'll confirm them as soon as they do.

  1. Entries open

    early Apr 2027

  2. Final deadline

    late Jun 2027

  3. Results

    early Sep 2027

Entry fees

We haven't been able to verify the fees yet.

Prizes

Prize details not verified yet.

Which category to enter

This is a general contest. Underwater work belongs in these categories:

  • Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year

    Other

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope)

    Conservation

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact)

    Conservation

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year

    Other

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year

    Other

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Human Connection Award

    Other

    Restriction: Underwater and above-water ocean images both accepted.

  • Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds

    Other

  • Ocean Portfolio Award

    Portfolio

    Restriction: Exactly 10 images.

Who can enter

Open to
Open to all

In 2026, images that had already won first place overall in an established international award could not be entered; 2027 rules not yet published.

Rules at a glance

Not summarised yet — check the official rules.

Your image rights

We haven't summarised the licence terms for this edition yet.

This is our plain-language summary, not legal advice. Read the official terms before entering.

Research notes

Dates projected from Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026; not yet announced by the organiser. Categories are carried over from 2026 and may change.

Provenance

Verified · 6 sources

  1. Oceanographic - Rules & FAQs (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
  2. Oceanographic - OPY registration (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
  3. Oceanographic - Entry rules (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
  4. Oceanographic - Legal terms (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
  5. Oceanographic - 2026 finalists revealed (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
  6. Oceanographic - 2026 winners announced (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15

All editions

  1. Ocean Photographer of the Year 2027≈ late Jun 2027Expected
  2. Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026closed Tue 30 Jun 2026Results out Results (opens in a new tab)