Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day

The annual Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is hosted by the United Nations, curated by Ellen Cuylaerts and a jury composed of world-renowned individuals.

Tom St George (2021) UN WOD Oceanic Discoveries, 1st place

2025 Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day

The 2025 Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is free and open to the public. The 12th Annual competition is intended to explore four thematic categories open for submission. The categories are purposefully broad to encourage photographers' interpretations and artistic visions.

2025 Categories
for Photo Contest

Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us
Underwater Seascapes
Big and Small Underwater Faces
Above Water Seascapes

Jennifer Johnson (2022), Ocean Critters, 2nd Place

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2025 Judges

The competition is curated by Ellen Cuylaerts and composed of a jury of world-renowned individuals.

Ipah Uid Lynn

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER MALAYSIA

William Tan

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER SINGAPORE

Vanessa Mignon

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER FRANCE

Marcello Di Francesco

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER ITALY

Ellen Cuylaerts

CURATOR & UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER BELGIUM

The 2025 Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is coordinated in collaboration between the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Oceanic Global, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and Nausicaa.
Thank you to Dive Photo Guide for their ongoing support of the UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition.

Nat Sumanatemeya (2022), Underwater Seascapes, 2nd Place

Explore Past Winners

Small Island Developing States

The 2024 Competition will feature a category on Small Island Developing States, helping to mark the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States. This category is organized in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, and offers entrants the chance to have their images featured at the Conference, to be held in Antigua and Barbuda from 27-30 May 2024.

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Caine Delacy (2019), ABOVE water Seascapes, 2nd Place

10th Anniversary of the Photo Competition

Discover the 10th anniversary of the Photo Competition in celebration of UN World Oceans Day! The Photography for Sustainable Oceans exhibit draws on winning entries from past editions of the competition.

Explore the Exhibit

Galice Hoarau (2020), UNWOD Ocean Photo Art, 2nd Place